Govt announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for two dead in Hubballi LPG gas mishap

Hubballi: Two of nine Ayyappa Swamy devotees injured in an LPG gas explosion mishap breathed their last at Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMC-RI) in Hubballi on Thursday.

District In-charge Minister Santosh Lad visited KMC-RI and announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of deceased devotees.

Nijalingappa Bepuri (58) had suffered 86 per cent burns and native of Ingalahalli, and Sanjay Savadatti (17) had suffered 89 per cent burns of Unkal died on Thursday early morning.

In an LPG Gas explosion mishap at Ayyappa Swamy sannidhi set up at Eshwar Temple in Sai Nagar on December 22 night, nine devotees sustained burn injuries. While the 12-year-old boy suffered 25 per cent injuries, others suffered from more than 80 per cent burn injuries. They have been admitted to KMC-RI for treatment.

Minister Santosh Lad said the state government, district administration, KMC-RI have been trying their best to save the lives of the injured, but two of them died, which is unfortunate. Four plastic surgery experts from Bengaluru visited here. But we couldn’t save them as they suffered more than 80 per cent burn injuries.

On the direction of the Chief Minister, Lad announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased. He also noted that the other six persons remained critical, while Vinayak, a 12-year-old boy, has been shifted to burn ward and recovering.