Twin fire tragedies claim 12 lives in Madhya Pradesh on Diwali night
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Katni: Twelve people, including a two-month-old infant and several children and elderly persons, died in two separate fire incidents in Madhya Pradesh on Diwali night, with six members of each family losing their lives, police said.
The first blaze broke out around midnight in a three-storey building housing a crockery shop in Barhi town of Katni district. Six members of the Agrawal family, including 77-year-old Puran Agrawal, his wife Chandrakala (74), daughter-in-law Poonam (35) and three children aged 14, six and two months, were trapped on the upper floors and died.
Two other family members escaped. Rescue teams recovered the bodies after an overnight operation, breaking through a wall with a JCB machine to reach the victims.
In another incident, six members of a family died after a fire engulfed the residence of bullion trader Kundan Soni in Chhapara town of Seoni district around 3 a.m. The deceased included Soni (75), his wife Rajkumari (65) and four other relatives, including a 16-year-old boy.
Four other occupants, including two minors, were rescued and hospitalised.
The causes of both fires remain unknown. Police suspect a possible diya or short circuit in the Katni incident, but said the exact cause would be established through investigation. Authorities are probing both cases.
With IANS inputs