CUTTACK: Ahead of Diwali, illegal firecracker sale using social media has emerged a worry for Cuttack police.
Police sources said it had come to their notice that some unscrupulous persons were procuring and storing firecrackers for sale to customers through social media platforms.
In such a suspected case, Markat Nagar police on Tuesday seized illegal firecrackers worth over Rs 5 lakh that had been stored in a rented house in CDA Sector-9 area here. While the trader is currently absconding, the house owner was reportedly unaware of the illegal storage and sale of firecrackers from his house.
“While efforts to nab the person who stored the firecrackers is on, we suspect the stock was to be sold using social media contacts as he had no licence for sale,” said a senior police officer.
Elaborating on the new modus operandi, police said these people were creating closed groups on WhatsApp and Instagram where they were uploading the pictures of firecrackers, citing their prices, to attract customers. Once the order was placed through direct messages, the unlicensed traders delivered the firecrackers to the customers at their doorsteps.
Police urged citizens to buy crackers only through traders having proper licence for the purpose.
“Only people with authorised licences should sell these items. Selling firecrackers illegally through social media is also prohibited. Our cyber cell will keep an eye on such posts and take action accordingly,” said the police officer.
In another development, police on Monday arrested one Trilochan Nayak for allegedly illegally storing and selling firecrackers from a tent in front of his house at Subhadra Nagar. Firecrackers worth over Rs 3 lakh were seized from him.