AHMADPUR EAST, JUN 28 (DNA) – Death toll in the tragic Ahmedpur East incident has risen to 159 while 153 of the deceased have been laid to rest after offering their collective funeral prayers amid grief in the area.

As the funerals of the victims of oil-tanker tragedy were offered, every eye in the area was teary and people attended the funerals in large numbers. High-level security arrangements were also observed on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the administration has started removing the debris of the motorbikes, cars and rickshaws from the road and one side of the highway has been opened for traffic.

On the other hand, samples of 125 dead bodies have been sent for DNA test whereas more than 80 percent of people admitted in hospital are badly scorched.

It is pertinent to mention here that the tragedy had taken place when an oil-tanker in Ahmedpur East had overturned on the highway and while people were collecting the wasted petrol, a spark had caused the area to catch fire and scores of people were burned.