New Delhi: Diwali celebrations turned tragic in Madhya Pradesh as two separate fire incidents in Katni and Seoni districts claimed 12 lives, including a two-month-old infant. Six members of a family were killed in each incident, while six others sustained injuries.
The first incident occurred in Barhi town of Katni district around midnight on Diwali night, when a fire broke out in a three-storey building housing a crockery shop on the ground floor and a family residence on the upper two floors. Six members of the family, including a two-month-old infant, were burnt alive.
The deceased have been identified as 77-year-old Puran Agrawal, who ran the crockery shop, his wife Chandrakala (74), daughter-in-law Poonam, granddaughters Arya (14), Anvi (6), and a two-month-old child. Two other occupants of the building escaped but sustained injuries and were rushed to a hospital.
According to eyewitnesses, the infant died in his mother Poonam’s arms. The heartbreaking incident has left the town in deep mourning.
Six Members of Agrawal Family Killed in Katni Fire
Rescue teams took nearly five hours to retrieve the bodies from the building. The incident also triggered anger among local residents, who demanded an inquiry into alleged administrative negligence and strict action against those responsible.
A preliminary investigation suggests that an electrical short circuit may have triggered the blaze. However, the exact cause remains unclear, with officials also suspecting that a lamp could have been responsible.
Vijayraghavgarh Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Virendra Dhurve said the three-storey house belonging to Puran Agrawal was located in Ward No. 11, under the jurisdiction of Barhi police station.
“The three-storey house belonging to Puran Agrawal is situated in Ward No. 11, under the jurisdiction of Barhi police station. While a crockery shop operated on the ground floor, the upper two floors were occupied by the family. The fire broke out around midnight, between 12 am and 12:30 am, for reasons that are yet to be established. Firefighters and local administration officials managed to bring the blaze under control, following which six deaths were confirmed inside the house,” Dhurve said.
Six Killed, Four Injured in Seoni House Fire
In a separate incident, six members of a family were killed and four others injured after a massive fire broke out at a three-storey house belonging to a goldsmith in Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni district early on Monday.
The fire broke out between 4 am and 4:30 am at the residence of goldsmith Kundan Lal Soni, located near a Jain temple in Mahavir Ward of Chhapara town, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Kundan Lal Soni (75), his wife Rajkumari Soni (65), Ritu Soni (42), Smriti Soni (40), Surya Soni (45) and Aditya Soni (16). The victims included three women and a minor.
Ten people were inside the house when the fire broke out. Six lost their lives, while the remaining four were rescued, Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Apoorva Bhalavi told PTI over the phone.
Firefighters and rescue personnel later brought the blaze under control. The cause of the fire in Seoni is yet to be ascertained.
The two incidents have cast a shadow over Diwali celebrations in Madhya Pradesh, with 12 people from two families losing their lives in separate fires within hours of each other.