Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh): Khandwa police busted an illegal firecracker factory operating secretly near a residential colony on Tuesday.
The raid, conducted at a deserted house near Sinhada village, led to the seizure of approximately 20 quintals of string bombs, a massive cache of gunpowder along with sulfur, ammonium chloride and vast quantities of rope. The estimated value of seized materials was worth more than 20 lakhs. A scooter found at the scene, registered to Imran Paryani.
Police utilized technical surveillance to coordinate the raid. The factory was strategically hidden within a residential area, where the sheer volume of stored gunpowder posed a severe threat to nearby inhabitants. Cases are being registered under the Explosives Act.
“The raid is a part of a broader crackdown on the illegal trade of dangerous materials. We are currently tracing the supply chain to expose the entire network,” stated a senior police official.
Police said the development came based on inputs received that some illegal activities were taking place in the colony.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Khandwa, Manoj Kumar Roy, said on Tuesday that upon reaching the colony, a police team first spotted a Pickup vehicle entering into the colony.
“A pickup vehicle was spotted there, and two to three persons were seen fleeing from the spot. When the police team reached the location and conducted a search, a large number of sacks containing crude bombs (sutli bombs) were found.”
Preliminary investigation revealed that previously, the clubhouse in question was owned by Yashvant Silawat, who had sold it to Imran a few years back.
“We have learnt that Imran, a resident who operates a shop of firecrackers, had purchased the building. However, we are trying to find the current owner of the building,” he added.
Roy further stated that an FIR has been registered in the matter, and some unidentified persons have been booked under the relevant charges.
