PATNA, Oct. 22 -- At least 16 people were injured in two separate incidents during the Durga Puja celebrations in Bihar on Tuesday. The incidents involved a fire during a stage performance in Siwan and a stampede like situation following the burning of an effigy in rural Patna, police said. In Siwan district, 12 people were injured during a stage performance at a Durga Puja event in Rasulpur village under Barharia police station limits. The incident occurred on Tuesday night during a reenactment of the life of Raja Harishchandra. Police stated that the accident happened when a balloon burst during a staged fire scene, releasing chemical substances onto the audience. According to Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP) Bharat Soni, initial investigations indicate that the Puja Committee had not obtained permission to stage the play. There were no fire safety measures in place at the venue, officials said. Victims, including several children, were initially taken to the Barharia Community Health Centre before being transferred to Siwan Sadar Hospital. Four of the injured, including a minor, are reported to be in critical condition and have been referred to Patna for advanced treatment. An SIT, led by SDO Sadar, has been formed to investigate the negligence, and a forensic team (FSL) has been called to the site. "The FSL team has also been summoned to the scene. According to preliminary information, permission was not obtained from the Puja Committee to conduct the staged play," the SP said. Those seriously injured were identified as Aniket Kumar, Rahul Kumar, Bittu Kumar Shah, Amit Kumar, Suraj Kumar Shah and six year old Pawan Kumar, police said. One of the injured, Ayush, was on stage preparing to pull the curtains when the accident occurred. Describing the events backstage, he said, "Before the play started, the performers were preparing backstage. For the ghost act, they were putting some wood into a bucket and adding chemicals on it. A balloon caught fire and some flames fell into his feet." During Dussehra, the district administration had claimed to have made solid security arrangements and deployed magistrates and police forces at the puja pandals and akhadas. In a separate incident in rural Patna, four people were injured in a stampede-like situation at Gandhi Maidan in Masaurhi on Tuesday evening. The event occurred as crowds were exiting following the burning of a Ravana effigy for Vijayadashami. According to Masaurhi SDPO Raghav Dyal, approximately 20,000 people had gathered for the event. As attendees attempted to leave through the main gate, several women fell and lost consciousness. "Around 20,000 women and men gathered in the field to watch the programme. After Ravana's effigy was burnt, people began to exit from all three gates of the grounds. During this time, some women fell near the main entrance gate. With the help of police and committee members all four injured persons were immediately taken to the Sadar hospital," said the SDPO. Emergency responders transported the injured to the local hospital. Three individuals were discharged after receiving primary treatment, while one woman, Renu Devi, was referred to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for further care. Dr Ramanuj, the in-charge of the Masaurhi Primary Health Centre (PHC), confirmed that two of the injured women were brought to the hospital for treatment. Both had sustained minor injuries and briefly lost consciousness, he said, adding that the third and fourth injured women were referred to the sub-divisional hospital for further treatment....