Prime accused in Egra illegal firecracker factory explosion case dies

Kolkata: The prime accused in the Egra illegal firecracker factory explosion case Bhanu Bagh died of burn injuries at a private nursing home in Odisha, a police officer said here on Friday.

Bagh succumbed to the 70 per cent burn injuries, which he had sustained during Tuesday's explosion at the illegal firecracker factory owned by him at Khadikul village in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, he said.

"The accused died at around 2.40 am at a nursing home in Cuttack. His condition was very critical as he had 70 per cent burn injuries," the officer said.

Bagh, who fled to neighbouring Odisha soon after the explosion, was admitted at the Cuttack-based nursing home and was arrested by the state CID on early Thursday.

The accused was arrested along with his son and nephew who drove him on a two-wheeler to Odisha before getting him checked at a state-run hospital there and then admitting him at the nursing home in Cuttack.

His condition was "so critical" that CID detectives could not bring him back to West Bengal but kept a tight vigil outside the nursing home.

On Tuesday afternoon, nine persons were killed and four others were injured in an explosion at the illegal firecracker factory owned by Bagh.