Expired stock of crackers seized from residential areas

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 28

Following the death of a teenage girl in a suspected chemical explosion on Tuesday, the police today woke up from its deep slumber and arrested four persons for allegedly storing firecrackers illegally.

Although all of them were arrested under Section 286 of the IPC, which amounts to negligent conduct with respect to explosive substances, they were all released on bail on the same day.

While the police recovered maximum stock from Govind nagar area, where according to the investigating officer Inspector Gulshan Kumar, the team recovered fire crackers worth Rs 2 lakhs, another recovery of fire crackers worth Rs 1.5 lakhs was made from the congested Gandhi camp area.

The police recovered fire crackers from the Gupta colony and Adda Hoshiarpur areas as well.

According to area SHO Ashwani Gotyal of division 1, “The traders have to destroy the unsold stock after the expiry of the temporary licence. “They instead stored them in residential areas which could have caused some major tragedies amounting to the loss of human lives,” said Gotyal.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday directed Jalandhar Police Commissioner to conduct a detailed inquiry to ascertain the reasons behind the blast in a firecracker godown, which claimed one life and left three others injured.

The Chief Minister also announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs 1 lakh for the kin of the deceased, Radhika, and Rs. 25,000 each for the three injured, besides directing the administration to provide free medical treatment for them. The blast had occurred in a godown, located in Riyazpura, Central Town Jalandhar, around 4 pm.

Four young workers were buried under the debris of the godown’s roof that collapsed by the impact of the blast. Expressing grief over the tragic mishap, the Chief Minister directed the local authorities to extend all possible help to the victims’ families.

The injured were identified as Deepika, Karan and Sunil and their condition was stated to be serious.