BHUBANESWAR: A deadly explosion at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit which reportedly claimed lives of a middle-aged couple in Balipatna on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar has exposed how such hazardous trade is flourishing right under the nose of police and other authorities.
The blast occurred between 11.45 am and 12 pm in Mishra Sahi under Balipatna police limits. Mutilated body of 35-year-old Laxmipriya Mishra was recovered from the debris by police, while there was no trace of her husband Gyanendra Mishra even after several hours of operation. As the operation was stopped in the evening, police did not confirm whether he was also the victim of the explosion or not.
Neighbours heard a loud explosion and thought it was an earthquake. “I took my son and left the house immediately. Upon coming out, we found that the entire area was engulfed in smoke,” Bijay Sarangi, a neighbour said.
Gyanendra’s father Nrusingha Charan Mishra had expertise in manufacturing firecrackers and the entire family dabbled in the business. In fact, they were dubbed as ‘Nuria Mishra Bana Ghara’ by the locals. A local vendor said he has grown up watching the Nrusingha family manufacturing firecrackers. Yet, police could not notice the same.
This was not the first incident to strike Nrusingha’s family, the locals say. “About 15 years back, Nrusingha’s eldest son Chaitanya Mishra was killed in a similar firecracker explosion. A blast had also taken place at one of their godowns containing firecrackers,” another neighbour said.
The locals said though Nrusingha’s was not a joint family, the members dominated the business of illegal firecrackers manufacturing in the area for the last several years and police had turned a blind eye for reasons not far to seek. Though Nrusingha used to manufacture firecrackers by obtaining licence, his sons started doing the same business illegally, sources said.
The incident comes close on the heels of Odisha DGP Dr RP Sharma’s advisory on October 26 to all SPs and Twin City DCPs to implement Supreme Court’s order on the use of firecrackers during Diwali and other festivities, including weddings, in ‘letter and spirit’.
The advisory said the officers should ensure that firecrackers are sold only by ‘licensed traders’. Police stations were also directed to prepare a list of the firecracker dealers and traders and given responsibility for creating awareness.
But none seems to care. Neither the cops nor the illegal manufacturers. The couple is survived by their two daughters who were not in the house when the incident occurred. Gyanendra was running a small store alongside the firecracker manufacturing unit for extra income, another local Surendra Mallick said. Besides Diwali, he supplied goods for weddings too.
The explosion was so powerful that concrete roof and walls of the house were damaged. Body parts of the woman were strewn all around. “We have not yet traced the body of Gyanendra and further investigation is underway,” Balipatna police station inspector-in-charge Akash Rana said. A forensic team also rushed to the spot.