Security Alert! 34,000 Kg of explosives seized in West Bengal, 100 people arrested
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West Bengal Police seized a huge quantity of explosives and banned firecrackers during raids in different locations in rural West Bengal and arrested at least 100 people for their alleged involvement in running illegal manufacturing factories, a senior state police official said on Tuesday.
The raids started on Monday and continued in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday in different places mainly in Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas districts, he said.
"So far we have seized nearly 34,000 kg of explosives and banned firecrackers and arrested at least 100 people for allegedly storing them and running their businesses. These arrests were made during last night's raids conducted at different districts mainly Nadia, South and North 24 Parganas," the official said.
The police of the various districts have been asked by the authorities to file reports on seizures of explosives and firecrackers and arrests to the state secretariat by May 29, he said.
The raids were carried out against the backdrop of two separate explosions at illicit firework production facilities in rural Bengal over the course of eight days.
Three blasts and a catastrophic fire at a godown in Bengal resulted in at least 17 fatalities.
The explosion at Egra in Purba Medinipur on May 16 claimed 12 lives, including that of the prime accused, while three members of a family had succumbed in Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas on Monday and none in another blast at Dubrajpur in Birbhum district the same day. The fire at a carbide godown in Malda district on Tuesday killed two.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government Tuesday decided to close down the 'Bazi (firecrackers) bazar' at Haral in Baruipur area of South 24 Parganas district, he said.
According to the official, all of the area traders have been instructed to store all raw materials they own at the neighbourhood police station as a precaution.
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, is scheduled to meet with Haral traders at the state secretariat in order to discuss the government's decision to establish clusters of firecracker production facilities.
A total 132 cases have been lodged by the police for the seizures, the official said.
The raids started on Monday and continued in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday in different places mainly in Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas districts, he said.
"So far we have seized nearly 34,000 kg of explosives and banned firecrackers and arrested at least 100 people for allegedly storing them and running their businesses. These arrests were made during last night's raids conducted at different districts mainly Nadia, South and North 24 Parganas," the official said.
The police of the various districts have been asked by the authorities to file reports on seizures of explosives and firecrackers and arrests to the state secretariat by May 29, he said.
The raids were carried out against the backdrop of two separate explosions at illicit firework production facilities in rural Bengal over the course of eight days.
Three blasts and a catastrophic fire at a godown in Bengal resulted in at least 17 fatalities.
The explosion at Egra in Purba Medinipur on May 16 claimed 12 lives, including that of the prime accused, while three members of a family had succumbed in Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas on Monday and none in another blast at Dubrajpur in Birbhum district the same day. The fire at a carbide godown in Malda district on Tuesday killed two.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government Tuesday decided to close down the 'Bazi (firecrackers) bazar' at Haral in Baruipur area of South 24 Parganas district, he said.
According to the official, all of the area traders have been instructed to store all raw materials they own at the neighbourhood police station as a precaution.
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, is scheduled to meet with Haral traders at the state secretariat in order to discuss the government's decision to establish clusters of firecracker production facilities.