Delhi Police seizes 6,000 kg firecrackers, 55 arrested

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New Delhi: The Delhi police has arrested 55 people and seized over 6,000 kilograms of firecrackers since the ban on fireworks in the national capital, officials said on Wednesday. According to police data, 56 cases have been registered against the 55 people for storing, selling and bursting firecrackers.

Out of total 6,050 kg seized crackers, 2,400 kg was recovered from Delhi Police's north district, followed by Rohini district 1,163 kg and central district 298 kg, the data said.

Police said even though most of the manufacturing and storage units have been shut in the national capital, people engaged in the business have managed to procure firecrackers at lower prices from neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Harayana in huge quantities.

On September 28, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had ordered a complete ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1 next year.

In central Delhi, over 286 kg of firecrackers were seized where these crackers were being sold illegally in Chandni Chowk, Paharganj, Karol Bagh and other market areas, police said. Firecrackers have been banned in entirety by the Delhi government, and an older ban by National Green Tribunal (and endorsed by the Supreme Court) bans the sale and use of ones made with barium-based formulations in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Shahdara district police has nabbed four persons and seized 294 kg of illegal firecrackers.

On Tuesday, information was received regarding supply of illicit firecrackers in Anand Vihar area.

Thereafter, a trap was laid and a raid conducted at a shop in Arya Nagar village near Karkardooma.

A total of 235 kg of illegal firecrackers was recovered and shop owner Vinod Kumar (53), a resident of Karkardooma, was arrested. He purchased firecrackers from Gurgaon in Haryana, a senior police officer said.

Later, the other teams of Shahdara district recovered 59 kg of illegal firecrackers. The accused have been identified as Ram Avtar, Masum Ali and Harish Singhal, they said.

In another incident, police arrested 38-year-old Manish Gupta, a resident of Mayur Vihar, Phase-3, from Kalyanpuri area.

On Tuesday, police were patrolling in the Kalyanpuri area and around 2.30 pm, they reached the central market.

They saw a person selling crackers in his shop. Twelve sacks and two cartons of crackers " a total of 236 kg " was recovered from his shop, police said.

Similarly, the northeast district police has nabbed two persons with firecrackers.

The first person, identified as Amit Mittal (36), a resident of Chajjupur, Babarpur was arrested on Tuesday after police raided the premises of Mittal and recovered crackers 32.3 kg.

Mittal revealed that he had procured the firecrackers from Dehradun in Uttarakhand for sale on Diwali, police said.

It has also apprehended a 32-year-old man from Sonia Vihar area.

On Wednesday, police conducted a raid at a house near Shiv Mandir, Chauhanpatti and recovered 81.32 kg firecrackers. Police nabbed Imran (32), a resident of Chauhanpatti in Sonia Vihar, they said.

Imran rented the house to store the fire crackers for sale during Diwali, they added.