Nashik Nashik Police on Friday said the June 8 blast at the three- storey Saptshrungi Apartment here took place due to firecracker powder kept for manufacture of crackers illegally at a ground floor shop. Three persons were killed in the blast which destroyed the ground floor and the first floor.
Prime accused Manohar Gurunani had made loudnoise alt39 sutali bombsalt39 ( a type of firecracker) in the shop using a newly- purchased machine, they said.
” Gurnanai had earlier kept the machine at his Maratha Fireworks Factory at Rasegaon in Dindori taluka.
But due to frequent power- cuts, it was shifted here,” City Police Commissioner Vinod Lokhande told a press conference.
The firecracker powder contains potassium nitrate and other ingredients of alt39 sutali bombalt39, he said, adding that the impact of the blast was huge due to the small, closed room.
No high- intensity explosives like gelatin were found, Lokhande said.
Gurunani had a firecracker- manufacture license for Rasegaon factory, he said.
According to the police, the shop is owned by Shakti Charandas Gavai, a local resident. He rented it out to Lalit Ramdas Page for manufacturing Rangoli colours, but Page and Gurunani started manufacturing firecrackers there.
FAMILIES RENDERED HOMELESS: Following the explosion at Saptshrungi Apartments in the city on Wednesday, 15 families living there have become homeless. The ground and the first floor is damaged extensively, and municipal authorities said on Thursday that the building will have to be demolished completely.
Some of the inmates of the buildings have been camping at Kailas Mutt, others at their relativesalt39 places.
Government has declared ex- gratia of Rs one lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
