Delhi Police seize over 95 kg firecrackers, arrest 8

New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) The Delhi Police has seized 95.7 kg firecrackers and arrested eight people for selling them in the national capital despite the complete ban on their sale ahead of Diwali, a statement said.

Considering the ban on firecrackers, multiple teams have been deployed in market areas by the directions of ACP, Sadar Bazar, Pragya Anand, it said.

It said that on Monday morning, a patrol team was passing through Sher Ka Pinjra, Idgah Road, Sadar Bazar when they noticed seven persons carrying big plastic bags. On suspicion, all seven were stopped for checking and the bags found filled with firecrackers, found to weigh 77.2 kg.

All the seven were apprehended and identified as Irfan Malik, 18, Firoz, 22, Avnish, 18, Karan Singh, 21, Anil Gupta, 22, Ravi, 25, and Sher Mohammad (25), the owner of the recovered firecrackers. A case under relevant sections of the IPC and the Explosive Act was registered at Sadar Bazar Police Station and investigation was taken up.

During interrogation, Sher Mohammad disclosed that he had purchased the firecrackers last year on the occasion of Diwali, but due to a complete ban on firecrackers, he was unable to sell them. This year again ban was imposed on the sale of firecrackers, hence he, along with his six servants, decided to sell these illegal firecrackers in the market to passersby, but before that, they got apprehended.

In another crackdown, on Sunday, a police team saw one person selling firecrackers from cartons on Qutub Road, Sadar Bazar, and they were found to total 18.5 kg.

Mohammad Aarif (35), a resident of Bihar's Khagaria,was immediately apprehended and the firecrackers were seized. A case under relevant sections of the IPC and Explosive Act was registered at PS Sadar Bazar and an investigation was taken up.

Aarif disclosed that last year, he had bought the firecrackers from license holders of the nearby area of Sadar Bazar to sell the same in retail. But due to the ban last year, he could not sell them, and he was trying to clear the old stock by selling them to passers-by.