One Dead, Ten Injured In Fireworks Explosion

Pathanamthitta (Ker): An explosion at a shed that stored fireworks in the district today left one dead and ten others injured, police said. The explosion occurred when the shed at Eraviperoor caught fire, they said.

The four injured were admitted to hospitals at nearby Thiruvalla and Kottayam Medical College and their condition was stated to be serious, they said. The victims were workers engaged in preparing fireworks for the annual Kumaraguru Jayanthi celebrations at the headquarters of the Pratyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha (PRDS).

The PRDS is a religious protest movement founded in 1909 by Poykayil Sreekumara Gurudevan (also called Poykayil Yohannan). The sabha was celebrating the 128th birth anniversary of its founder. (PTI)