PALANPUR: At least 21 people, most of them from Madhya Pradesh, were killed when a firecracker godown collapsed following an explosion in Deesa town, Banaskantha district, Gujarat, on Tuesday.
Officials confirmed that the victims were buried under debris after the terrace and walls of the godown collapsed due to the blast. Authorities retrieved all the bodies from the site.
Victims died of bodily injuries
CL Solanki, Deputy Superintendent of Police in Deesa, told TOI, “All of them died due to bodily injuries, not burn wounds. All the victims were from Madhya Pradesh.”
He further confirmed that the district administration had rejected the godown owner’s license renewal application this year due to non-compliance with fire safety regulations.
Factory operated illegally, police to take strict action
Banaskantha SP Akshya Raj Makwana stated that the factory, owned by Khoobchand Sindhi of Deesa, was illegally operating as a firecracker manufacturing unit and warehouse in the Deesa GIDC.
“We will nab the accused very soon and will file an FIR under stringent legal provisions so that no one plays with fire again. We have formed teams that have been dispatched to Rajasthan and Ahmedabad. We learned that the owner did not have permission to stock crackers, yet he began manufacturing them. We will also file a foolproof charge sheet to ensure the accused receives the maximum punishment,” said Makwana.
Previous inspection found no explosives
State spokesperson and Health Minister Rushikesh Patel revealed that a team from the SP office had inspected the premises on March 12 and did not find any explosives at that time.
“After that visit, the factory owner kept the explosives in the factory and even began manufacturing, which led to the blast and multiple deaths. The factory owner did not have the basic required facilities to store the crackers, due to which his license was not renewed by the district administration, and the Banaskantha police gave a negative response,” said Patel.
He added that two accused had been arrested, and the process of filing an FIR was underway.
