Firecrackers Factory Explodes at Home, 8 Die

Kolkata: Eight members, including four children of a family in South 24 Parganas of West Bengal, were charred to death in a devastating fire that broke out at their house following a huge explosion late on Monday night. The victims were Prabhabati Banik, the head of the family, her son Arabinda Banik, Santwana, wife of Chandrakanta and the couple's children Arnab and Asmita. Union minister of state and state party chief Sukanta Majumdar wrote to the union home minister to order the NIA to probe the incident. ADG Supratim Sarkar apparently blamed the accused for running the dangerous business at home, leading to the loss of lives.