Police have registered a case of negligence against the organising committee of a religious programme after a helium gas cylinder used to inflate balloons exploded, killing a woman and leaving five others, including a child, injured at Bidhan Pally near Kawakhali in Siliguri last evening.

State tourism minister Gautam Deb said he would inquire into the “mechanism” under which the balloon cylinder was being operated.

The case has been registered for negligence and ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

A vehicle, which was parked on the spot was also damaged. “We have registered a case of negligence against the organising committee and started investigations,” said a senior police officer.

The two-day-long programme began on Saturday. Meanwhile, Deb met two of the injured persons and inquired with the doctors about the treatment at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) located near the incident site.

A resident of Samar Nagar, Sadhana Roy, 32, succumbed to burn injuries at the NBMCH yesterday, her husband Shyamal Roy said.

Two persons, including the balloon vendor Ratan Banik, are undergoing treatment at the NBMCH. Doctors said the condition of Banik was serious, while his 13-yearold son has been admitted in a private health facility. “The injured persons have sustained splinter injuries. The lower portion of most of them is injured. They also sustained injuries on the chest, thigh and waist. The condition of Banik is serious. However, all efforts are being made to help them,” said NBMCH superintendent Dr Kausik Samajdar. Some injured persons have been admitted to private health facilities.

A local man, Asish Saha, said he was with his friends near the spot when they heard a loud bang in the evening.

“I saw thick smoke engulfing the area and everybody was in panic and they started fleeing erratically. The locals and policemen came in to the rescue of the injured persons and took them to the NBMCH,” Saha said.

“It was a very unfortunate incident. Of the six injured persons, one woman lost her life, and four persons have been seriously injured. I had a talk with the Siliguri police commissioner and will discuss some issues with him on 13 November. It is natural that the kids will buy gas balloons for their enjoyment, but I do not know on what mechanism the cylinder was operating, but I will look into this,” Deb said.