An eerie calm prevailed in this town on Diwali as grief-stricken people abstained from celebrating the festival of lights a day after a deadly fire at a cracker godown killed 32 people.

The town, located along the border with Andhra Pradesh and a shopping hub for nearby villagers, was sans the normal humdrum and festive looks.

The family members of victims and residents of the town are yet to recover from the tragedy which struck on Friday night when people from nearby villages were busy buying crackers.

The godown presented a gory picture with burn marks everywhere and belongings of the victims strewed on the floor. Markets, which are usually bustling on Diwali, wore a deserted look as people remained indoors glued to their television sets to get updates about the worst-ever tragedy that struck the area.

"We are in no mood to celebrate Diwali. After seeing the charred bodies at the godown, no one is willing to celebrate the festival. We will just offer prayers and abstain from bursting crackers," Babu, a government employee, said.