Man killed, girl injured in explosion at illegal cracker unit on village outskirts
Over 10 workers rescued safely with coordinated efforts of villagers, police
A massive explosion took place in a house, situated on the outskirts of Jodhan village, which was being used illegally for manufacturing firecrackers.
One person, Kaif Shah, suspected to be the cracker manufacturer, succumbed to his injuries after he was taken to a hospital while a girl, Alisha (13), was also injured in the incident. Over 10 workers in the building were rescued safely with the coordinated efforts of villagers and the Dakha police, led by DSP Varinder Singh Khosa.
Daljit Singh, owner of a plot adjoining the house being used as a cracker factory, said a massive explosion had occurred on Tuesday evening due to which two lintels of his building collapsed. Though all cattle were saved as these were outside the building, infrastructure worth lakhs were destroyed due to the explosion.
He said the owner of the adjoining building, Deepa, had given his property on rent to some migrant labourers who had set up cracker manufacturing unit illegally.
Though the police are yet to ascertain the exact reason behind the explosion, circumstantial evidence suggests that a huge quantity of raw material for making crackers filled in bags had caught fire due to some spark.
The DSP, who supervised the rescue operation, said two persons, including a girl and an elderly person, were injured in the incident. The girl received injuries in the head but the other person succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Preliminary investigation revealed that some miscreants had been involved in the manufacturing of crackers in violation of the Explosive Act, 1884, for a long time in the region. The owner, now injured critically, had recently stocked heavy quantities of explosives on the premises, the police said.
Owners of buildings situated on the outskirts of the village had been renting their premises, unaware of consequences of illegal activities being undertaken by tenants.
Recently, a similar explosion occurred at a house, situated in congested lanes of Indira Colony in Ludhiana in which about 12 persons, including children, were injured. Illegal stock of crackers and raw material for preparing the same were kept at the house.
Army personnel were also called for undertaking the rescue operation with the help of officials of the Mullanpur fire brigade unit.
The rescue operations, which continued from 8.30 pm to 10.30 on Tuesday, would be resumed on Wednesday morning said Karamjit SIngh, Executive Magistrate.
