Blast at illegal cracker unit kills couple in Jagatsinghpur | Bhubaneswar News
Kendrapada: A powerful explosion at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Badabaga village, Jagatsinghpur district, claimed two lives and left two others seriously injured late Friday night.
The deceased were identified as Rajesh Das (54), a cracker maker, and his wife, Suchismita Das (50). Rajesh’s brother Paresh Das (45) and his wife sustained serious injuries in the blast that occurred around 10:30 pm, completely destroying their pucca house.
The injured were initially taken to the district headquarters hospital in Jagatsinghpur before being shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as their condition was critical.
“Preliminary investigation revealed the family was operating the unit without proper licences,” said Jagatsinghpur SP Bhawani Sankar Udgata. Police have registered a case under sections 3 and 5 of the Indian Explosive Substances Act and BNS provisions.
Teams from fire service and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) were deployed at the site. Forensic experts and a bomb disposal squad arrived Saturday morning to investigate the incident. Chemical substances of an explosive nature were recovered from the site and sent for testing.
Local sources said that numerous illegal firecracker manufacturing units operate in and around Badabaga, which become particularly active during festival and wedding seasons. “Authorities have turned a blind eye to these illegal operations, putting many lives at risk,” alleged a villager.
Following the incident, several illegal manufacturers fled the area, sources said.
The deceased were identified as Rajesh Das (54), a cracker maker, and his wife, Suchismita Das (50). Rajesh’s brother Paresh Das (45) and his wife sustained serious injuries in the blast that occurred around 10:30 pm, completely destroying their pucca house.
The injured were initially taken to the district headquarters hospital in Jagatsinghpur before being shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as their condition was critical.
“Preliminary investigation revealed the family was operating the unit without proper licences,” said Jagatsinghpur SP Bhawani Sankar Udgata. Police have registered a case under sections 3 and 5 of the Indian Explosive Substances Act and BNS provisions.
Teams from fire service and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) were deployed at the site. Forensic experts and a bomb disposal squad arrived Saturday morning to investigate the incident. Chemical substances of an explosive nature were recovered from the site and sent for testing.
Local sources said that numerous illegal firecracker manufacturing units operate in and around Badabaga, which become particularly active during festival and wedding seasons. “Authorities have turned a blind eye to these illegal operations, putting many lives at risk,” alleged a villager.
Following the incident, several illegal manufacturers fled the area, sources said.
