Kathmandu, Feb. 15 -- Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and Pokhara Metropolitan Mayor Dhanraj Acharya sustained burn injuries due to balloon explosion at a public event on Saturday.

Both officials sustained burn injuries during an incident at the opening ceremony of Pokhara Tourism Year earlier in the afternoon. Balloons ready to be released came in contact with the fire poppers and exploded.

Both Paudel and Acharya were airlifted to Kathmandu and admitted to Burn Hospital in Kirtipur for further treatment, the police confirmed.

"They have been airlifted to Kathmandu for further treatment," Kaski District Police Office's Superintendent of Police- Shyamnath Oliya, confirmed to ANI over the phone. ...