A devastating explosion in Kanpur’s bustling Mishri Bazaar on Wednesday injured eight people and damaged two scooters, prompting a citywide police crackdown on illegal firecracker storage. Authorities seized approximately 100 quintals of illegal firecrackers worth over Rs 50 lakh and arrested six individuals, with 26 others detained for questioning.
Commissioner of Police Raghubir Lal revealed that simultaneous raids were conducted in Moolganj, Fazalganj, Govind Nagar, and Naubasta following reports of large-scale firecracker stockpiling in densely populated areas. “The Mishri Bazaar blast was caused by illegally stored fireworks, not terrorism,” Lal clarified, dispelling rumors of extremist involvement.
In Moolganj, police recovered 14 cartons (1.5 quintals) of firecrackers worth Rs 2 lakh from Ikram’s shop and six cartons (50 kg) valued at Rs 40,000 from Abdul Bilal’s store. Two FIRs were filed in connection with these seizures. In Fazalganj, a raid led by Assistant CP IP Singh uncovered 60-65 quintals of firecrackers worth Rs 15 lakh in a warehouse rented by Raja Paswan from owner Himanshu alias Kaku, both of whom are now absconding.
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In Naubasta’s Yashoda Nagar, authorities confiscated five quintals of fireworks worth Rs 18 lakh from Madhuban Lawn, owned by Mahendra Singh Yadav and managed by Hariom Awasthi, who lacked legal permits. In Govind Nagar, 9.35 quintals (30 cartons) valued at Rs 9 lakh were seized from a factory, with an FIR registered and legal action underway.
Lal confirmed five FIRs and six arrests so far, with 18 detentions in Moolganj alone. The investigation expanded after an X account displaying Pakistan flags posted false claims that “eight army personnel were killed near Markaz Masjid in Kanpur,” sparking concerns of a coordinated misinformation campaign. Intelligence units flagged the posts as deliberate attempts to incite panic.
“We are investigating both the explosion and the online misinformation effort, which suggests a broader conspiracy,” Lal stated. The raids have exposed a dangerous network of illegal firecracker storage in Kanpur’s residential and commercial zones, raising alarms about public safety. Police continue to probe the supply chain and potential links to the misleading social media activity, vowing to bring all culprits to justice.
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