Hubballi gas cylinder blast: Death toll rises to 3

Hubballi: A 16-year-old student died in a Gas cylinder leak at a building near the Eshwar Temple in Sai Nagar, Hubballi, on December 27  raising the death toll to 3.

The victim was identified as  Raju Krishna Mugeri, a student of Vidyanagar Kattimani School, from Unakalla Subani Nagar. He had suffered 74% burns in the incident.

The incident occurred Sunday night when Ayyappa devotees, resting after prayers, were caught in the blaze caused by the leak.

Earlier, two victims, Nijalingappa Beppuri (58) and Sanjay Savadatti (18), died on Thursday morning.

Nine people sustained burns in the fire, and five remain in critical condition at KMCRI Hospital.