Paradip, Nov. 17: The controversy over launch of a trade union in the name of Biju Patnaik has taken an unsavoury turn with a police complaint being lodged against a minister and two ruling party legislators in connection with a fire tragedy at a rally.

Yesterday, nine persons, including a 10-year-old boy, sustained serious burn injuries on their way to the rally organised by the trade union. The tragedy took place as some firecrackers exploded in the vehicle in which they were travelling to the rally site. Today, the 10-year-old child, Pitua Jena, succumbed to burn injuries.

Following the incident, a police complaint was lodged by a villager accusing school and mass education minister Pratap Jena and two sitting BJD MLAs — Bishnu Charan Das and Debashis Samantaray — of being responsible for the tragedy.

As dissident ruling party leader Damodar Rout came down heavily on the BJD leaders floating the trade union and demanded action against the organisers of the rally, BJD MLA Debashis Samantaray urged Rout not to indulge in “cheap politics”.

Rout, who represents Paradip township in the Odisha Assembly, had recently formed Biju Vichar Manch, a forum to propagate ideals of the late leader.

Subsequently, a group of BJD leaders had named a new trade union after the late leader in trying to mobilise the support of the workers of the Paradip Port Trust area. The move is allegedly aimed at curtailing Rout’s clout in the region.

The complaint lodged with Kujang police station accused the minister and the two legislators of “resorting to unlawful firecracker bursting to flaunt their participation in the rally”.

The complainant, Sudam Biswal of Balarampur village, had alleged that the BJD leaders abetted the unlawful procurement of fire works from an unlicensed firecracker manufacturer.

Even before lodging this complaint, a case was registered against the firecracker trader, Subhash Rout, under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Indian Explosive Act.

Rout, who supplied firecrackers to the rally, was allegedly involved in illegal fireworks manufacture without mandatory licence and permit. “I have been told that huge money was spent for yesterday’s rally in an area which was badly-hit by the recent floods. A poor boy met a tragic end and eight others are battling for life because of the bursting of firecrackers procured from an unlicensed trader. The organisers of the rally should be taken to task,” said local BJD MLA Damodar Rout.

“There is nothing wrong in the formation of a trade union to fight for the rights of workers. But the formation of workers’ union to gain political mileage and to cut to size political rivals is highly uncalled for. The use of legendary leader Biju Patnaik’s name for such petty personal gains is unfortunate,” he said.