Punjab CM Amarinder Singh orders magisterial inquiry into Batala firecracker factory blast

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the blast at a firecracker factory in Batala, which claimed 23 lives. An official release said that the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Batala) has been asked to conduct the probe into the incident. 

The explosion which occurred yesterday also damaged buildings nearby. Batala's Senior Medical Officer Sanjiv Bhalla said 23 people died in



the explosion and 27 injured. An ex-gratia relief of two lakh rupees each has been announced for relatives of those killed and 50,000 rupees each to severely injured person.

Fire tenders and teams of the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force were deployed for the rescue operation.  President Ram Nath Kovind expressed grief over the incident.