Rayagada, Jan 14: A firecracker explosion during Bhogi celebrations in Yedu Sahi, Rayagada, last night left four people critically injured. The victims have been identified as B. Varni (14), B. Yogi (21), Kishore Dora (25), and Babli Reddy (11).

The incident occurred around 3 a.m. when young men and women were celebrating Bhogi by bursting firecrackers near a bonfire. Due to carelessness, several firecrackers fell into the bonfire, triggering a powerful explosion. The blast caused severe injuries to the victims and also damaged nearby houses and an auto-rickshaw.

The injured were initially admitted to the district headquarters hospital and later transferred to Visakhapatnam for advanced treatment. Authorities report that all four are in critical condition.

The police visited the site early this morning and have begun an investigation into the incident.