Barely few meters away from the Chief Minister's residence, a splinter of a fire cracker reportedly struck one of the balloons causing them to explode, injuring 11 students, including nine girls.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's birthday celebrations nearly ended in a tragedy after a group of college students, who were going to greet him were injured near his residence today.
The group of students belonging to the student wing of the Biju Janta Dal were walking in a procession to wish Naveen Patnaik with flowers and helium gas-filled balloons and also celebrate their success in the recently-concluded college elections.
Barely few meters away from the Chief Minister's residence, a splinter of a fire cracker reportedly struck one of the balloons causing them to explode, injuring 11 students, including nine girls.
The students were immediately rushed to a government hospital in Bhubaneswar. Doctors said they have sustained superficial burn injuries on their scalps, face and hands.
"None of them are serious. Their condition is all stable. They are being treated in a special ward," Capital Hospital Superintendent Dr Binod Mishra said.
Several senior political leaders including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik himself met the injured students in the hospital later in the day.
"I have come to see the injured students. The doctors say they will be well very soon," Mr Patnaik.
State Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Law Minister Arun Sahoo also visited the students. Most of the injured girls are from Ramadevi Women University, Press Trust of India reported.
Describing the incident as 'unfortunate', both Congress and BJP lashed out at the ruling Biju Janata Dal for the absence of adequate safeguards and safety measures during the procession.