Five killed in Punjab factory blast

Chandigarh  :  At least five workers of a private factory were killed in Punjab’s Khanna town Wednesday following an explosion in the solvent plant of the unit, police said.

Fifteen other workers of the factory, Sanjeev Agro Private Ltd at Khanna’s Focal Point, were seriously injured in the blast. They were rushed to hospitals in Khanna and Ludhiana.

Police said that the cause of the explosion was being investigated.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal directed deputy commissioner of Ludhiana district to extend all possible help to the family members of the deceased and injured.

He announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs.100,000 to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs.25,000 each to those seriously injured.

Khanna town is about 75 km from here.