Bhubaneswar: In connection with the devastating explosion at an illegal firecracker godown in Jiakata-Chhatrapur in Boudh district, which claimed one life on Sunday, the police have arrested five individuals, including cracker trader Alok Datta Kanti.
Following the arrests, the police conducted raids on four cracker godowns in the district, sealing them and seizing illegal crackers worth approximately Rs 6 crore. The explosion, which occurred around noon on Sunday, was so powerful that it reduced the store room to rubble, injuring several others.
A massive rescue operation was launched, involving local police, fire service personnel, ODRAF, bomb squad, scientific team, and dog squad, as it was suspected that some people might be trapped under the debris.
The police are conducting a probe to determine the exact cause of the explosion and to ascertain whether any safety violations were involved. The local residents took to the streets, blocking the road, as the nearby houses were also affected due to the explosion.
The impact of the blast was felt nearly a kilometre away, shattering glass panes of several shops in Purunakatak market. The hunt for suspects is ongoing, and further action is being taken against those involved in storing and manufacturing illegal crackers.
