Aurangabad: At least 12 persons, eight of them children, were roasted alive in a fire that broke out at Harinagar village under the Daudnagar sub-division of the district on Friday evening. Strong wind was stated to be the reason behind the tragedy.
In Patna, chief minister Nitish Kumar expressed shock and grief over the incident and directed senior district officials to provide all possible assistance to the affected families.
Reports said the fire broke out in a house in the neighbourhood of Jata Ram and soon engulfed Jata’s house where a ’tilak’ ceremony was to be held on Friday. Several relatives and guests had arrived to attend the tilak ceremony. However, the identity of the deceased could not be ascertained immediately as the bodies were charred beyond recognition,, The Times of India reported.
The Daudnagar SDPO and SDM followed by Aurangabad DM Kawal Tanuj have rushed to the spot with fire extinguishers. SDPO Sanjay Kumar told this correspondent over the phone that efforts were on to ascertain the identity of the victims.
Union minister of state for HRD and Karakat MP Upendra Kushwaha also visited the village and consoled the villagers.