Egra blast case: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met the victim's family, provided financial assistance

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal personally visited the families affected by the tragic explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Khadikul, Egra. Expressing deep sympathy and regret, she provided immediate support by presenting a financial aid of Rs 2.5 lakh to each grieving family.

Additionally, she offered a home guard job to one member from each victim's family as a means of long-term assistance.

Banerjee acknowledged the gravity of the incident, stating that it had served as a wake-up call for the authorities. Under the guidance of the Chief Secretary, a dedicated committee has been established to investigate the matter thoroughly. The committee has been entrusted with the task of submitting a comprehensive report within the next two months. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of preventing further tragedies and ensuring that no lives are jeopardized by the operation of illegal firecracker factories.

During her visit, Banerjee expressed concern over the greed-driven motivation behind engaging in such unlawful activities for monetary gains. She conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the families of the 11 victims who tragically lost their lives in the blast. Banerjee reiterated her commitment to taking appropriate action against any illegal firecracker factories and urged the public to report any information regarding such operations to the local police. She also assured that any police officer failing to act upon received information would be transferred.

The blast, which occurred on May 16, claimed the life of the factory owner, Bhanu Bagh, among others. The subsequent CID investigation revealed that Bhanu had fled to Odisha after sustaining injuries in the explosion, using a fake Aadhaar card to seek medical treatment at a hospital there.