An explosion at an illegal firework factory at Egra in East Midnapore killed at least nine people and critically injured several others on Tuesday.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she had no objection to a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the explosion. The BJP and the CPM have been demanding an NIA probe.

Mamata’s statement was a conspicuous deviation from her usual stand on central agencies. Sources attributed it to her knowledge of “zero involvement” of the Trinamul organisation in the incident, and the “substantial culpability” of the BJP that dominates numerous pockets of the district -– the backyard of leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.

The blast occurred at Khadikul, a village located barely 3km from the Odisha border.