GANDAKI: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Bishnu Prasad Paudel, and Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Dhanraj Acharya, were injured when the balloons burst with cracker sparkles during a programme in Pokhara city today.

Minister Paudel and Mayor Acharya were inaugurating the Pokhara Visit Year, 2025 amidst a function.

After inaugurating the programme by lighting a lamp, Paudel and Acharya were ready to fly the balloons which accidently contacted the nearby sparkles of electric crackers.

In the incident, Mayor Acharya got injury in face, while DPM Paudel also received burn in both hands and face.

Mayor’s press coordinator Bhim Thapa informed that they were rushed to local health facility initially. Now, efforts are on to fly them to Kathmandu for further treatment, it is said.