Jaipal urges all to allay fears over Vikarabad explosion

• Union Minister visits LPG blast site at Vikarabad
• Hands over ex gratia to the next of kin of the victims
• Vikarabad explosion death toll rises to 7

Vikarabad: Union Minister for Science and Technology S Jaipal Reddy urged the elected representatives, police, scribes and officials to allay fears among people over explosion in Rajiv Gruhakalpa Colony in Vikarabad on Friday.A Jaipal Reddy, along with Minister for Handlooms and Textiles G Prasad Rao, visited the blast site and consoled the bereaved families. It may be recalled here that four-year-old Karthik and 40-year-old Vasantha were killed on the spot while 14 others sustained serious burns after an LPG cylinder exploded in the house of one Chandrappa in Vikarabad on March 22 night. Six-year-old Saicharan succumbed to injuries on Saturday, and three others � Iliyas, 9, Amina Begum, 21, and Taslima Begum, 35 � died on Sunday. He elicited information about the incident from the residents of the area. Later, he visited those undergoing treatment at Government Area Hospital in Vikarabad. He commended medical services being provided to the victims by doctors. Jaipal Reddy handed over Rs 1.5 lakh ex gratia to each of the next of kin of the deceased. He said the tragic incident made him visit the families of the victims. He said people were terrified of the intensity of the explosion. He stressed the need to allay fears among the residents. Lauding the services of National Investigation Agency, the Union Minister said it confirmed that the blast occurred due to LPG cylinder leakage. He clarified that there was great difference between Dilsukhnagar and Vikarabad blasts. He assured that he would examine the feasibility of providing Class IV jobs to the family members of the deceased as their financial status was very bleak. Meanwhile, one more person, who suffered serious burns in Friday's explosion, succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at Osmania General Hospital on Sunday. With this, the death toll rose to seven. Yesu aka Sreenu, 35, who had suffered burns in the incident, died at the hospital while undergoing treatment, police said, adding that the condition of other two injured was also critical.