City cop tuns decoy to nab shopkeeper selling banned firecrackers

Around 12 kilograms of banned firecrackers were seized from a 52-year-old man who, police said, was caught red-handed selling them in South Delhi’s Jaitpur Extension

Around 12 kilograms of banned firecrackers were seized from a 52-year-old man who, police said, was caught red-handed selling them in South Delhi’s Jaitpur Extension area on Monday.

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The seizure and arrest came following a trap that the police laid after they learnt about the illegal sale of banned crackers. A policeman in plain clothes was sent in as a decoy customer to strike a deal with him, the police said.

While around two kilograms of crackers were seized from the possession of the man, identified as Anil Mishra, another 10 kilograms were seized from his shop in the area. The firecrackers of various types were stuffed in a jute sack and hidden behind a refrigerator in Mishra’s shop.

In 2018, the Supreme Court banned the sale of firecrackers across the county and ruled that only green crackers with reduced emission will be allowed to be manufactured and sold.

Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said that a case was registered against Mishra at the Jaitpur police station. Mishra was arrested and booked under section 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) of Indian Penal Code and section 9(b) of the Explosive Act since he was selling banned firecrackers and could not produce a valid licence for possessing or selling such items.

“We are interrogating Mishra to ascertain the source through which he procured the banned firecrackers,” said DCP Biswal.

A police officer said that around 3 pm, a police informer informed a sub-inspector of the police station that Anil Mishra, a shopkeeper had stored the banned firecrackers to sell it during the upcoming Diwali festival. The information was developed, and on confirmation head constable Babulal was sent as a decoy customer, said police.

The head constable in plain clothes contacted Mishra and struck a deal with him. Mishra was called near a school close to shop for delivery of firecrackers. “The head constable was directed to run his fingers through his head once the crackers were delivered to him and he paid the money. It was a signal for the raiding team to catch the shopkeeper red-handed,” said the officer.

The head constable gave the signal after he gave a ₹200 note to Mishra upon receiving around 2 kilograms of firecrackers. Mishra was caught and he was taken to his shop where another 10 kgs of banned firecrackers were seized, the police said.