Diwali night inferno leaves dozens homeless in Faridabad as firecracker hits shanties

Neeraj Bali Chandigarh, Nov 9 (UNI) A stray aerial firecracker triggered a massive pre-dawn blaze in a slum cluster here on Diwali night, gutting over a dozen dwellings and destroying the meager belongings of daily-wage families, officials and witnesses said on Monday. No casualties or serious injuries were reported. The incident occurred around 3:00 a.m. in the Mewla Maharajpur area of the industrial city as festival celebrations were drawing to a close. Eyewitnesses said an aerial rocket descended directly onto the makeshift roof of a shanty, instantly igniting dry timber and plastic sheets. The flames spread with alarming speed across…