Gas balloon explosion: Injured students celebrate CM’s birthday at Naveen Nivas

Chief minster Naveen Patnaik’s 69th birthday celebrations took an ugly turn on Friday as 11 college students, including nine girls, were injured after gas balloons they were carrying to wish him exploded. The students, members of BJD student wing Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, had come to wish the CM on his 70th birthday.

As many as 11 persons, including nine girls and two boys, were undergoing treatment at the Capital Hospital after the explosion and all of them are stable, said hospital Superintendent Dr Binod Mishra. None of them, however, was injured in their eyes. The mishap occurred because of the blast of crackers near the balloons. Most of the injured, who suffered injuries on their hands and forehead, are from Rama Devi University.

State Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Law Minister Arun Sahoo and a host of leaders of different political parties visited the hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured.

Chairing a high level meeting at the State Secretariat here, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed all concerned departments to implement the pending reforms by December 2015 and complete the next phase of reforms by February 2016.

Terming the incident unfortunate, Mr. Harichandan criticised Mr. Patnaik for celebrating his birthday when farmer suicides are being reported from different districts nearly every day.

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) also greeted the Chief Minister while ministers, MLAs, BJD functionaries and government officials including Director General of Police Sanjeev Marik made beeline before the Naveen Niwas here with flower bouquets to wish Patnaik.