Kaushambi (UP), Sep 1 (PTI) The main accused in the firecracker factory blast in which 11 people, including eight children, were killed was arrested following an encounter with police here early Tuesday, officials said.
The accused, identified as firecracker factory owner Naushad, sustained a bullet injury during the exchange of fire and was admitted to the district hospital, they said.
In another development, two police personnel were suspended and three sent to police lines for alleged negligence and dereliction of duty as the factory was being allowed to operate illegally.
The blast occurred on Monday at an allegedly illegal firecracker manufacturing and storage facility in Manoori town.
Superintendent of Police Satyanarayan Prajapat said four teams had been formed to arrest the accused.
Acting on a tip-off at around 4 am on Tuesday that Naushad was present near Terah Meel and was allegedly planning to flee, a joint team of the Charwa police and the Special Operations Group (SOG) reached the spot and surrounded Naushad, the officer said.
Naushad opened fire at the team with an intention to kill them after finding himself surrounded. The police returned fire in self-defence, during which he was hit in the leg, Singh said.
He was subsequently apprehended, the officer said.
During preliminary interrogation, Naushad told police that he and his associates had been manufacturing firecrackers and other explosive material illegally and storing them at the factory.
Police said Naushad had obtained a licence for the firecracker factory several years ago. However, during an inspection on October 8, 2024, around 1,200 kg of gunpowder and other explosive material was allegedly recovered from the factory’s godown.
A case was subsequently registered against Naushad at Pipri police station, invoking Section 125 (act endangering life or personal security of others) of the BNS and Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act. He was arrested and sent to jail, while his licence was also suspended, officials said.
However, Naushad continued to operate the factory illegally, police said.
Taking serious note of the incident, SP Prajapat ordered action against police personnel for alleged negligence and dereliction of duty.
Pipri police station in-charge Vikas Singh, Chail outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Amit Dwivedi and former Chail outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Manish Pal were sent to the police lines, while Head Constable Jitendra Kumar and Constable Krishna Kumar were suspended with immediate effect, officials said.
The blast was so powerful that several houses within a radius of around 100 metres were damaged. Five to six houses were affected, with three of them completely collapsing, officials said.
Among those killed were railway employee Vikram Saroj, his wife Anju and their two sons, Ansh and Shivansh, who lived next to the factory. Their 13-year-old daughter Sanjana survived as she had gone out for some work when the blast occurred, officials said.
The biggest challenge following the explosion was to locate and rescue people trapped under the debris.
The rescue operation began around noon and continued until 9 pm, with teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and fire brigade engaged in removing the rubble and searching for survivors.
Ten excavators, 11 fire tenders and 14 ambulances were deployed at the site during the rescue operation, officials said.
Chail Circle Officer Shivank Singh said six people, including Naushad, his son Adil, wife Kahkashan Bano, brother Shakeel, sister-in-law Shabana and niece Saina, had been named in an FIR registered under Sections 105 (culpable homicide) and 288 (negligent conduct with respect to an explosive substance) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4, 5 and 9-B of the Explosives Act.
District in-charge minister Krishna Paswan visited the blast site late Monday evening along with BJP district president Dharmraj Maurya, Chail MLA Pooja Pal and other public representatives.
District Magistrate Amit Pal said the administration ordered the demolition of the firecracker factory on Monday night and the structure was razed with the help of an excavator at around 9 pm.
“The strictest possible action will be taken in the matter,” the district magistrate said.
He said action under the Gangsters Act would be initiated and steps would be taken to seize the properties of the accused. Preparations were also underway to invoke the National Security Act (NSA) in the case, he added. PTI COR ABN DV
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