E-Paper
Blast at illegal cracker factory leaves 3 dead in Bareilly
The intensity of the blast was such that three houses were reduced to rubble and the sound of the blast was heard by people over 2 km away
LUCKNOW At least three people were killed and six others injured after three houses collapsed on Wednesday evening following a massive blast in a house where an illegal cracker manufacturing unit was operational in a crowded residential area of a village in Bareilly district, said police officials in Lucknow.
The incident took place in Kalyanpur village around 4.30pm when a group of people were busy manufacturing crackers in the house of one Rahman Shah. The owner was into cracker manufacturing business in partnership with his two relatives - Nazim and Nasir.
The intensity of the blast was such that Shah’s house and two adjoining houses turned into debris and the sound of the blast was heard by people over 2 km away. Two of the deceased were identified as Tabassum and Rukshana, they said.
IG (Bareilly Range) Rakesh Singh confirmed the death of three people, including two women, in the incident. He said the rescue operation was still on and more people were suspected to be buried under the debris.
Another police official informed that the bodies of two women were recovered while parts of a mutilated body were also found on the spot. He suspected that several others were buried under the debris and the number of deaths/injuries was likely to increase further. Six injured people were undergoing treatment at a nearby community health center (CHC) in Ramnagar and other hospitals of Bareilly.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident. He condoled the loss of lives and directed officials to ensure proper treatment of those injured in the blast.
Additional superintendent of police (Bareilly) Mukesh Chandra informed that forces from five police stations had been roped for the rescue operation. He said primary investigation suggested that the manufacturing was going on illegally.
