MP holds last rites for 18 Gujarat firecracker blast victims

Dewas

On Thursday, the last rites of 18 victims from the deadly firecracker warehouse explosion in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district were held on the banks of the Narmada river in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. The victims included 10 from Dewas and 8 from nearby Harda. BJP MLA Ashish Govind Sharma, who attended the ceremony, expressed deep sorrow and prayed to Maa Narmada for an end to such tragedies.

The explosion on Tuesday claimed 21 lives, including five children, and left six injured. The warehouse near Deesa lacked a license for storing firecrackers. Among the victims was a man from Ahmedabad, who lost his daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren, and other relatives.

Sharma, who helped bring the bodies to Dewas, called it the most tragic scene he had ever witnessed. He assured the victims' families of support, including financial help. The state government announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased’s families and Rs 50,000 for the injured. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the incident. The warehouse owners were arrested.