1 killed, 2 injured as transformer blasts at Patna court

One person was killed and two others were injured when a power transformer exploded inside a court premises in Patna on Wednesday, police said.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (Town), Ashok Kumar Singh, the blast took place at the civil court in the afternoon, killing a notary on the spot.

"Two lawyers, who sustained injuries, have been rushed to Patna Medical College and Hospital for treatment. We need the body of the deceased notary, Devendra Singh, for inquest. But lawyers are staging a demonstration at the court, preventing the police from taking away the body. We are trying to pacify them," Singh said.

The advocates, who raised slogans against the administration and the power department, alleged that the transformer had "visible defects" about which written complaints had been submitted before the authorities concerned, but no action was taken.

The Deputy SP said, "We are trying to assure the lawyers that an FIR will be lodged if they make a written complaint to the police about the incident, and action would be taken against those found guilty of lapse." "The bereaved family will receive ex-gratia in keeping with the government's policy with regard to such occurrences," he added.