Man arrested for Sadar Bazar firecracker blast that killed 1

When CCTV footage of the area was checked, it was learnt that the suspect, Mohammad Faiz, gave a plastic bag to the deceased man, Gulab Madar, just before the explosion, said police officers

Three weeks after a 35-year-old man died and four others were left injured when the staircase and a portion of the roof of a three-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar, a 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident.

Mohammad Faiz gave the firecrackers to Gulab Madar to dispose of but did not tell him about the explosive substance in the bag.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi said the accused has been identified as Mohammad Faiz.

The incident took place on January 7 and police officers said the two structures in a building on Qutub Road collapsed due to an explosion in a water pipe.

The deceased man was identified as Gulab Madar. When CCTV footage of the area was checked, it was learnt that the suspect, Faiz, gave a plastic bag to Madar just before the explosion, said police officers.

“It was found that the blast took place in the bag on the staircase of the building where the accused has a godown on the first floor. Some traces of firecracker explosives were found at the site,” said Kalsi.

A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Explosives Act was registered at the Sadar Bazar police station and an investigation was taken up.

An investigator said that initially, the accused spread a rumour that the incident took place due to a blast in a water booster motorm, after which he fled from the spot. Police raided his hideouts and nabbed him on Friday, Kalsi said.

During interrogation, Faiz disclosed that he used to deal in firecrackers during the festival season and on January 7, he was cleaning his godown to store items for the upcoming Holi festival items when he found leftover firecrackers, said police officers. “He gave the firecrackers to Madar to dispose of but did not tell him about the explosive substance in the bag,” said Kalsi.