Police probing the incident of massive blasts in a firecracker manufacturing factory-cum-store in Patharpratima area of South 24-Parganas district on Monday night have arrested two persons on Tuesday.
While speaking to reporters at Bhabani Bhaban, state police headquarters, Supratim Sarkar, additional director general (ADG) of police (south Bengal), said: “It’s a shocking unfortunate incident and police are verifying documents including trade license of the firecrackers unit. We are not in a position to say anything about the exact reasons behind the incident. We will wait for forensic reports. It was an accidental fire that was set off from a house near a fireworks godown. We have arrested Chandranath Banik and his brother Tushar. Chandranath was arrested in 2022 and 68 kg of illegal firecrackers were seized from him,” Mr Sarkar said.
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Eight people, including four children and two women were killed in a series of explosions at Chandrakanta Banik’s residential premises storing huge quantities of firecrackers-manufacturing explosive chemicals, powder and other items at Dakshin Raipur in the Dholahat police station area under Patharpratima sub-division around 9.30 p.m. on Monday.
All the deceased and injured belong to the Banik family, who run the manufacturing business of firecrackers for the past 10 years.
Two of the deceased babies are below one years, while two others are toddlers. Three others sustaining severe burn injuries are undergoing treatment at Diamond Harbour Medical College Hospital.
The Baniks had 11 members, while three members – Chandrakanta, Tushar and mother – were not there at the spot during the incident.
The deceased are – Arabinda Banik (65), Prabhaboti Banik (80), Santwana Banik (28), Arnab Banik (9), Asmita Banik (8 months), Anuska Banik (6) Ankit Banik (6 months). Bodies of the deceased were sent to the morgue at SSKM Hospital for post-mortem.
Police have registered cases against Chandranath and Tushar on charges of storing explosives and unintentional murder under sections of the BNS.
Following preliminary investigation, police suspected that there were two gas cylinders in the house, and the blaze spread after firecrackers stored inside went up in flames.
“In the primary investigation, we found that the blast took place in the premises of one Chandrakanta Banik’s house around 9.30 p.m. He has a firecracker factory inside the premises. The fire from the blast spread in the whole house, and two gas cylinders also exploded,” a local police officer had said.
Bankim Hazra, state Sundabans development minister, who visited the spot today, said: “The Baniks used to run the factory without following every rule and regulations required for such kind of business though they have valid license.”
The entire residence storing firecrackers were completely gutted during the explosions and parts of the charred bodies were also found lying scattered on the spot.
An expert team of forensic science visited Dakshin Raipur and collected samples from the site.
A relatives of the deceased alleged that the local administration, mainly police, never checked whether the Banik family used to follow guidelines for manufacturing firecrackers.
Aggrieved locals alleged that the incident exposed how the administration was completely indifferent in making regular on-the-spot visits to the factory.
More than 20 people have lost their lives in different incidents of explosions in illegal firecracker factories in the state during the past two years.
