Blast at illegal firecracker unit in Banaskantha kills 21, triggers outrage
AHMEDABAD: A powerful explosion and fire at an illegal firecracker storage and manufacturing facility in Banaskantha district claimed at least 21 lives, including women and children, on Tuesday. Six others sustained injuries in the incident.
The blast, which occurred around 9:30 am at Deepak Firecrackers' warehouse in Deesa, led to a massive fire, trapping several workers inside. The intensity of the explosion reduced an adjacent structure to rubble, scattering debris over a 200-meter radius. Firefighters and rescue teams, including the SDRF, launched operations to contain the blaze and recover victims.
Authorities confirmed that many of the deceased were migrant laborers from Madhya Pradesh who had recently arrived for work. Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Akshayraj Makwana stated that ongoing efforts were being made to ensure no one remained trapped inside. District Collector Mihir Patel described the explosion as severe enough to collapse the factory's slab, affecting nearby residential areas.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced compensation of ₹4 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. However, grieving families criticized the aid as insufficient, demanding stricter accountability. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav assured full assistance to affected workers and their families while maintaining communication with Gujarat authorities.
The incident has sparked political reactions, with Congress accusing the state government of negligence. Party President Shakti Sinh Gohil criticized repeated industrial disasters and the administration’s delayed response.
Police have arrested the owner of the godown and confirmed that the operation was running illegally without regulatory approvals. Investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion and identify further liabilities.
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Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case: Complainant appears before SIT in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: The complainant in the Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case on Saturday appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the state government to probe the alleged criminal activities under the jurisdiction limits of Dharmasthala Police Station.
The complainant is said to have presented himself before the SIT at the IB office in Kadri, accompanied by his advocates. The complainant is expected to be interrogated in the presence of DIG (Recruitment Division) MN Anucheth, sources have said.
The Karnataka government constituted the SIT under the leadership of Director General of Police (Internal Security Division), Pranav Mohanty, with other key members including DIG (Recruitment Division) MN Anucheth, DCP (CAR Central) Soumya Latha, and SP (Internal Security Division) Jitendra Kumar Dayama.
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