ROURKELA: In a biggest ever crackdown on unauthorised storage of firecrackers, Birmitrapur police along with a special squad on Monday night unearthed a massive haul of illegal crackers worth around Rs 90 lakh from three locations of Birmitrapur town in Sundargarh district.
Such was the seizure that it took 17 mini-trucks, tractor-trollies and pick-up vans to shift the contrabands to the police custody. Acting on a tip-off regarding illegal storage of firecrackers in unsafe conditions, joint raids were conducted in which two godowns taken on rent by Vicky Tekriwal (35) and another residential area rented by Natwar Agarwal (41) were busted.
Police said two cases were registered against Tekriwal and one case was registered against Agarwal under section 288 of BNS, section 9 (B)(1)(b) of The Indian Explosive Act and section 5 of The Orissa Fireworks and Loudspeaker Regulation Act. Both were serves notices and let gone as per the provisions of laws.
Sundargarh SP Amritpal Kaur on Tuesday informed that the raids were carried out as part of Operation Agni. The duo reportedly did not have licenses for trading or storing firecrackers.
A cop associated with the raids informed the duo had procured the firecrackers from Raipur in Chhattisgarh targeting the upcoming Diwali festival. “The seasonal sale of firecrackers is a highly lucrative business with the seized contraband carries retail market value of Rs 1.80 crore to Rs 2.25 crore. Since Birmitarpur is a small town with barely around 35,000 population, the two may have eyed the large Rourkela market,” he added.