Thirty persons, including women and children, were injured during a flaming torch procession in Khandwa of Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Friday.

The incident occurred around Thursday midnight when the procession was culminating at the Clow Tower in the city, said Khandwa District Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Rai told PTI over the phone.

The burning torches were being turned upside down and put in a water-filled container to douse them when a cloud of flame suddenly enveloped the spot for around five seconds singeing people around, he said.

The official said 30 persons, including women and children, were rushed to the district hospital. Of them, 18 were sent home after primary treatment. The remaining 12 are being treated and all are out of danger, Mr Rai said.

He said a torch procession is taken out every year in memory of three persons, including policeman Sitaram Batham, killed by members of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) on November 28, 2009.

Hyderabad BJP MLA T Raja addressed the gathering at the start of the procession, where tributes were also paid to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.