KENDRAPARA: In a shocking incident, a 32-year-old doctor suffered critical injuries after his car was blown up by firecrackers and left to dry on the road at Khandiabandha village within Kendrapara Sadar police limits on Thursday.
The victim, Dr Sujit Samal works as a medical officer at Karilopatna Primary Health Centre here. He was on his way to work when his car ran over the firecrackers lying on the road.Dr Samal was initially taken to the district headquarters hospital in Kendrapara and later rushed to SCB Medical College and hospital in Cuttack after his condition deteriorated.
Sources said Ramakant Mallick had left the crackers under the sun to dry out after the rains. He was a firecracker maker but without a valid license.“We heard a deafening sound as soon as the incident took place. While the car was entirely damaged, the doctor, too, suffered grievous injuries,” said Ranjan Mallick, a villager.
Kendrapara Sadar IIC Saroj Sahoo said the impact of the explosion was so powerful that the car got badly damaged.“As per our investigation, Mallick had no license to manufacture firecrackers and was running the cracker-making unit illegally. He fled the village after the incident,” Sahoo said adding, a huge quantity of firecrackers was seized from Mallick’s house.
Chemical substances that are explosive in nature were also recovered from the unit and the samples were sent for scientific testing, he said.A case under sections 3 and 5 of the Indian Explosive Substances Act and sections 323, 324 and 308 of the IPC have been registered against Mallick and efforts are underway to nab him, the IIC further informed.
A resident of Khandiabandh village, on condition of anonymity said fire cracker-making units have been functioning illegally in the village and its nearby areas but the administration has not taken notice.