Bhubaneswar: Airfield police have busted an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit operating from a residential house at Brahmakundal on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Friday and arrested its alleged operator, Chittaranjan Jena.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted a surprise raid on Jena’s house, where firecrackers were allegedly being manufactured without the requisite permission.
During the operation, police seized around 2 kg of gunpowder, 100 single-shot firecrackers, explosives, raw materials and machinery used in manufacturing the crackers. The value of the seized materials is estimated at around Rs 50,000.
Police have launched an investigation to ascertain how long the illegal unit had been operating in the residential locality, whether the accused had any accomplices and if others were involved in the business.
Meanwhile, police have intensified surveillance against the illegal sale of firecrackers in Bhubaneswar. They have warned traders against selling firecrackers without valid permission, cautioning that violators will face criminal cases.
