BHUBANESWAR: Conducting a special drive against illegal sale and storage of firecrackers, city police have registered eight cases between October 20 and November 6. During the raids, police seized illegal firecrackers worth about Rs 15 lakh.
Of them, Balianta police registered two cases and Airfield, Balipatna, Capital, Jatni, Nandankanan and Mancheswar police stations one each under relevant sections of the BNS and Explosives Act.
Police have also made elaborate security arrangements to ensure smooth passage of Diwali festival. A total of 27 sections of force have been mobilised across the capital city, along with static deployment at 14 important squares. Intensive mobile and PCR patrolling will also be carried out and striking force has been kept stand-by at reserve office here to handle any emergency, sources said.
The Odisha Fire and Emergency Services has issued 3,937 fire safety certificates to set up temporary firecracker shops across the state for Diwali.