PATNA: An illegal firecrackers unit was running inside the three-storeyed building that was razed to the ground following a powerful explosion in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, police said on Friday.
Altogether 14 people, including five members of a family, were killed and 10 others were seriously wounded in the explosion inside the firecrackers unit at Kajwalipur Chak under Tatarpur police station in Bhagalpur district.
Director general of police (DGP) S K Singhal confirmed the death of 14 people in the incident and said the house inside the explosion occurred at around 11.30 pm on Thursday was being used for manufacturing firecrackers without proper license.
“During investigation it came to light that the firecrackers unit was running without license. Hence the station house officer of Tatarpur police station has been put under suspension for dereliction of duty,” the state police chief said.
The blast site is hardly 100 metres from the Kotwali police station and located in densely populated locality.
The police seized huge quantity of explosive, wrappers and plastic raw material used in making firecrackers from the debris.
One Md. Azad had rented out his house to Leelawati Devi, who along with her family members was running the illegal firecrackers manufacturing centre.
Another family of Mahendra Mandal was also involved in illegal firecrackers business.
Leelawati and four members of her family, including two minors, were killed in the explosion. Her neighbour Mahendra Mandal's family five members, including a three-year-old child, in the incident.
The families of Raj Kumar Sah and Ganesh Kumar Singh also lost their members.
Ganesh's married daughter Pinki said, “I was sleeping on the veranda while my father and a woman of neighbourhood were asleep in another rooms. Around midnight I heard a thud and house collapsed. I somehow managed to escape.”
She said that her father and the woman were killed in the incident. Pinki had come to meet her father a day earlier.
“Thank God, my children were at my in-laws' house in Kolkata,” she said.
The locals, however, alleged that powerful bombs were being manufactured under the garb of firecrackers unit. A similar incident had happened in 2002 in which four members of a family were killed.
DGP Singhal said that a case was lodged and chargesheet submitted in the court against the deceased in 2003.
“How the firecrackers factory was running without license is subject to investigation,” he told the media.
The issue was raised in the House during budget session on Friday by Congress MLA from Bhagalpur Ajit Sharma, who demanded a judicial inquiry.
The main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal also supported the demand.
Taking a serious note of the matter, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the investigation was being conducted by the district police.
“If required, the anti-terrorism squad will assist the police in the investigation,” he told reporters.
Earlier in the day, bomb disposal squad and forensic expert visited the explosion site and collected samples.
“The cause of explosion will be ascertained after the receipt of the forensic report,” Sujit Kumar, DIG of Bhagalpur range, said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to Nitish Kumar and inquired about the rescue work. He wished speedy recovery of the injured and asked Nitish to ensure proper treatment of the injured.