One killed in blast at alleged illegal firecracker unit in Kannauj

The unit operator, Shiv Kumar Saxena, has been arrested, SP Kannauj Vinod Kumar said. Saxena, a native of Banda, had been living in Bahwalpur for around 20 years.

: An explosion at an alleged illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Bahwalpur village of Chhibramau on Tuesday blew away the unit’s tin shed, damaged several nearby houses and left one person dead.

The blast occurred in the late afternoon while firecrackers were being manufactured at the unit, police said. Local residents said they heard around six explosions, following which several houses in the vicinity developed cracks. (For representation only)

The blast occurred in the late afternoon while firecrackers were being manufactured at the unit, police said. Local residents said they heard around six explosions, following which several houses in the vicinity developed cracks.

Shiv Kumar Chakravarti, 55, who was present at the unit when the explosion occurred, suffered critical injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and later referred to the government medical college in Tirwa, where he died during treatment, police said.

The unit operator, Shiv Kumar Saxena, has been arrested, SP Kannauj Vinod Kumar said. Saxena, a native of Banda, had been living in Bahwalpur for around 20 years.

Police seized five boxes of illegally manufactured firecrackers from the site. Kumar said Saxena had also admitted that illegal firecrackers had been seized from him last year.

Four policemen, including Bahwalpur police post in-charge sub-inspector Ravendra Singh, have been suspended following Chakravarti’s death in the blast, Kumar said. Those suspended are head constables Sunil Kumar and Sandeep Kumar, constable Amit Kumar and Singh. The incident comes weeks after 14 people, including several children, were killed in a massive explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Kaushambi district. The blast destroyed the factory building and six adjoining houses.