CUTTACK: Police on Monday seized a huge quantity of illegal firecrackers and raw materials like potassium nitrate, gun powder etc., dumped in bushes and a jungle near Mahajanpur village within Jagatpur police limits during raids against illegal cracker-making units in Mahajanpur and Trilochanpur villages.
The crackdown, which began on Sunday, has been initiated in wake of the death of three members of a family including a toddler in a firecracker explosion at Mahajanpur village recently.
Led by ACP Arun Kumar Swain, the police teams have been raiding houses in these two villages. One platoon of police force has been deployed in both the villages to facilitate the raids.
“A majority of households in these two villages are involved in illegal manufacturing of firecrackers. They removed and threw away both the finished products and raw materials in fear of police raid soon after the fatal explosion which claimed three lives of a family in Mahajanpur village. The seized fireworks and raw materials have been destroyed,” said Swain.
He said families residing in Padmapur, Trilochanpur and Mahajanpur villages have been manufacturing and selling fireworks for their livelihood so much so that the illegal work has taken shape of a cottage industry in these villages. “Hence, we are also planning to conduct awareness programmes in these villages to encourage them to switch to other works for their livelihood,” informed the ACP.
A powerful explosion occurred on February 19 evening while firecrackers were allegedly being illegally manufactured inside one Govind Nayak’s house. The incident claimed the life of his wife Prabhati Nayak (60), daughter-in-law Sudhansubala Nayak (37) and granddaughter Sthitapragyan Nayak (3).