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Cracker crackdown in Kaushambi: 11 FIRs lodged, 18 booked
During the special enforcement drive, police teams seized around 35 quintals of firecrackers and 172 kilograms of gunpowder
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The police intensified a district-wide campaign against the illegal manufacture, storage, and sale of firecrackers in the wake of the firecracker factory explosion in Kaushambi on August 31.
According to Kaushambi superintendent of police (SP) Satyanarayan Prajapat, raids conducted across seven police station jurisdictions resulted in the registration of 11 cases and lodging of FIRs against 18 accused persons.
During the special enforcement drive, police teams seized around 35 quintals of firecrackers and 172 kilograms of gunpowder. Raids were carried out in markets, residential areas, and other locations suspected of illegal firecracker-related activities.
“We are still carrying out search operations all over the district, especially around suspected pockets where cracker manufacturing was carried out. We are also tracing the route through which the raw material entered the district illegally, its point of origin, as well as the syndicate involved in its operations,” the SP added.
As per the official, one accused Mohd Shoaib, was also arrested from Prayagraj.
Records revealed that of all seven police stations under whose jurisdiction raids were carried out after the blast incident, a maximum of 156 kg of firecrackers and 62 kg of gunpowder was recovered under the Kadadham police station area, where cases were lodged against four accused.
Likewise, under the Sandipan Ghat police station jurisdiction, police seized approximately one quintal of firecrackers and 35 kg of gunpowder, lodging cases against four accused.
Reports revealed that in the Saini police station area 65 kg of firecrackers and 1 kg of gunpowder was seized during raids, besides an FIR being lodged against one accused.
Further, in the Sarai Akil police station area, approximately 30.60 quintals of firecrackers and 19 kg of gunpowder was seized, besides cases being registered against three accused. Following this, in the Pipri police station area of the district, around 40 kg of firecrackers were recovered from one accused against whom an FIR was lodged.
In the Karari police station area, police recovered around 30 kg of firecrackers from one accused against whom an FIR was lodged while in the Mahevaghat police station area police seized 22 kg of firecrackers and 55 kg of gunpowder and lodged cases against three accused.
SP, Pratapgarh, Satyanarayan said the campaign against illegal firecracker activities would continue in the coming days. He appealed to residents to inform the nearest police station about any illegal manufacturing, storage, or sale of firecrackers, assuring them that their identity would be kept completely confidential.
