15 injured as firecrackers explode during Lord Jagannath's festival in Puri

Fifteen people received burn injuries after a heap of firecrackers exploded during Lord Jagannath's Chandan Jatra festival in Odisha's Puri, police said.

Hundreds of people had gathered on the banks of Narendra Pushkarinee, a waterbody, to witness the rituals when the accident happened on Wednesday night, they said.

A group of devotees were celebrating the festival with crackers. Suddenly, a splinter from the burning crackers struck the heap, leading to the explosion, they added.

The burning crackers then hit the people gathered at the spot, and some of them, even jumped into the waterbody to save themselves, police said.

The injured persons were admitted to the district hospital, and the conditions of four of them were critical, a doctor said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the incident and directed officials concerned to ensure proper treatment of the injured.

He said the cost of the treatment would be borne by the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.