West Bengal: 12 killed in Pingla blast
Four people were injured in the incident.
IG western range SN Gupta said: "Apparently it is a fire cracker factory where crackers were in demand in wedding season."
"Most of the dead had come from outside," Gupta said.
Police said one person has been arrested in connection with the case so far.
"We have arrested the owner Ranjan Maity because he was running an illegal factory. We are investigating all allegations," Gupta said.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a CID probe into the incident.
"We have ordered a CID inquiry into the tragic incident at a firecracker factory in West Midnapore," tweeted Banerjee through her party Twitter handle.
Locals alleged that the factory was used for illegal bomb making for political violence by Maity.
They alleged that Maity was a Trinamool Congress leader.
"Ranjan Maity is a TMC leader," a local resident of the area said.
"He is a mafia don," he said.
Another factory owner Ram Maity and his wife have reportedly been killed in the blast.
A team of forensic experts has reached the site of the explosion.
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