Khandwa: At least 30 people were burned after a fire broke out while the torch procession that took place on Thursday night here was about to finish, police said.
Of this, 12 people were severely burned and immediately admitted to the district hospital, police added. At the time of the procession, there was a stampede as well in which women and children fell on the road, police said.
According to sources, the event was organised by the Rashtrabhakt Veer Yuva Manch, for tributing the martyred soldiers, advocates, and bank employees of the 26/11 terrorist attack that happened in Mumbai in 2008.
Hyderabad MLA Tiger Raja and Supreme Court advocate Nazia Ilahi Khan attended the program as the main speakers. In addition, the families of the martyrs were honoured in the programme. After the completion of the tribute meeting, a huge torch procession was taken out.
Soon after the incident, Superintendent of Police (SP) Manoj Kumar Rai, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahendra Taranekar, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Bajrang Bahadur, and other administrative officers headed to the hospital.
SP Rai said, "People had just reached Ghantaghar with torches; while putting the torches in the closing container, some torches overturned and their chemicals and sawdust caught fire. About 30 people were burned as one torch after another caught fire."
According to eyewitnesses, the crowd standing behind with torches started throwing the torches and running away after the fire broke out.
"The women and children carrying torches fell on the road at that moment. Subsequently, the police took charge and controlled the situation, and the injured were brought to the district hospital," the eyewitnesses added.
"Out of which 18 people were sent home after treatment, and the treatment of the remaining 12 people is still going on," they added.
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