Five persons were killed and two others injured seriously in a powerful explosion in an illegal firecrackers manufacturing factory run from a house in Preet Nagar in Moga on Friday afternoon.
The victims were making firecrackers when heaps of already manufactured firecrackers caught fire. Police said that the reason for the blast was being ascertained.
The house owned by one Liyaqat Khan (50) collapsed due to blast impact. Liyaqat used to manufacture firecrackers at his house and supplied the same for marriages, area residents said.
Amreen (14), a daughter of Liyaqat, neighbour Veer Bhan alias Veru (17), and an unidentified person died on the spot while Liyaqat died at the civil hospital in Moga. Liyaqat's wife Hoor Bano was injured seriously and referred to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot. She later died there.
Liyaqat's another daughter Heena Khan (17) was admitted at civil hospital in Moga, as was seventh victim Avtar Singh (45), who was injured while washing his car outside the house as flying debris hit him.
Moga DC Arshdeep Singh Thind told HT that he had asked the sub-divisional magistrate Ajmer Singh to conduct a probe. Moga SSP Sneh Deep Sharma said, "We have summoned a forensic experts team from Chandigarh to the spot and a special investigation team had been formed to conduct an inquiry."
{{/usCountry}}Moga DC Arshdeep Singh Thind told HT that he had asked the sub-divisional magistrate Ajmer Singh to conduct a probe. Moga SSP Sneh Deep Sharma said, "We have summoned a forensic experts team from Chandigarh to the spot and a special investigation team had been formed to conduct an inquiry."
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