Madhya Pradesh firecracker factory blast: Accused held upon arrival from China

Mukesh Vij was arrested days after the firecracker factory blast claimed six lives and injured over 20 in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas on May 14

Published on: May 21, 2026, 16:55:53 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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The prime accused in a firecracker factory blast, which claimed six lives and injured over 20 in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas on May 14, was arrested at the Delhi airport upon his return from China on Thursday.

Investigations showed explosives were stored at the factory far beyond permissible limits. (Getty Images)

Mukesh Vij, a resident of Delhi, operated firecracker factories across Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The Dewas unit was set up under the name of Anil Malviya, though Vij managed all operations and orders. He was in China at the time of the blast.

“...Vij arrived in New Delhi on the morning of May 21 [Thursday] from Guangzhou, China. A special team of the Dewas Police apprehended him at the airport. To ensure his arrest, a nationwide Look Out Circular was issued, enabling his identification and interception. Another absconding accused, Mahesh Chauhan of Uttarakhand, was also arrested in Delhi,” said Dewas police superintendent Puneet Gehlot. “The investigation is ongoing. “Interrogation of Mukesh Vij will shed light on how the factory was being operated.”

Malviya, Mohammad Ayaz, and Kapil Vij were arrested earlier in connection with the explosion, which was so powerful that body fragments were found 20-25 feet away. Investigations showed explosives were stored at the factory far beyond permissible limits to meet large orders.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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