Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on illegal firecracker trade, police seized a substantial stockpile of banned fireworks from the godown of a local trader in Marwadi Pada near Junagarh in Kalahandi district.
The operation, valued at over Rs 7 lakhs, underscores ongoing efforts to curb unauthorised explosives ahead of Durga Puja and Diwali celebrations.
Acting on specific intelligence, a joint team comprising the Special Squad and Junagarh Police Station personnel raided the premises of Ajit Kumar Singhal, a known cracker trader, late Thursday evening.
The raid was directed by Kalahandi Superintendent of Police as part of the state-wide ‘Operation Agni’ initiative launched by Odisha Police to dismantle illicit networks following a deadly explosion in Boudh district earlier this month that claimed one life and injured several.