Bride’s cousin dies as coffee machine explodes in Pratapgarh

Prayagraj: A wedding celebration in UP’s Pratapgarh turned tragic after a coffee machine exploded, claiming the life of a 15-year-old cousin of the bride.The deceased, a resident of Patti, was seated just a short distance from the machine when the blast occurred at Bahuta village late Sunday. The incident unfolded at a time when wedding rituals were in full swing, casting a shadow of shock and grief over the festivities.Eyewitnesses said that the wedding rituals of Kamlesh Kumar’s daughter were underway when a loud explosion was heard. As they rushed to the scene, the minor boy was found critically injured. The blast also caused damage to a section of the marriage pandal.Family members rushed the boy to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. According to doctors, the boy had suffered 80 per cent burn injuries.The victim was a student of Class VIII and the youngest among three siblings.Patti police said they were not informed about the incident by the family. Later, cops were alerted by villagers, but the family declined to get the postmortem conducted. They also refused to lodge a formal complaint and proceeded with the cremation of the body on Monday.Despite the tragedy, the wedding ceremony was solemnised on Sunday night as scheduled.