Blast in Punjab cracker factory kills 5, injures 34 –

In Punjab, at least five persons have died and 34 were injured due to a blast in a cracker factory in the Lambi area of Shri Muktsar Sahib district late last night. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jaspal Singh told Akashvani that those injured are out of danger and recuperating in various hospitals. The rescue operation has been called off. Our correspondent reports that the reason behind the blast is still unclear. However, the double-storey factory has been reduced to rubble due to the intensity of the explosion. The identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed, though most of the factory workers are said to be migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.