Kaushambi Firecracker Factory Blast: Prime Accused Naushad Arrested After Shootout; 2 Cops Suspended

Kaushambi Firecracker Factory Blast: In the latest updates in the Kaushambi firecracker factory blast case, the police has arrested the prime accused, Naushad, following a shootout on Monday. The accused, while attempting to abscond, was shot at his leg and is being hospitalised. Two police officials were suspended amid gross negligence into the matter. 

The accused would be interrogated after his treatment, Kaushambi Superintendent of Police, Satyanarayan Prajapat said. Naushad’s license for selling firecrackers was suspended around two years ago. The remaining accused, identified as Shabana and her daughter Saina, has also been arrested by the police.

Upon investigating the case, Pipri Police Station in-charge Vikas Singh, Chail outpost in-charge Amit Dwivedi, and former outpost in-charge Manish Pal have been questioned for their negligence into the matter. Additionally, constables Jitendra Shukla and Krishna Kumar have been suspended and departmental inquiry have been ordered.

What’s The Case?

At least 11 people, including eight children, died in a powerful explosion that occurred at a firecracker factory at Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi on Monday. The deceased were identified as Priyanjali (5), Praveen Singh (13), Jahanvi (12), Aditya (12), Aditya (8), Ravi (8), Anju (32), Gyan Singh (40), Vikram Saroj (35), Ansh (6) and Nana (4). Officials said all of them lived near the factory.

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The blast took place in the afternoon when around 25 workers were working inside the factory. The explosion was heard nearly 2 km away and was followed by several blasts after firecrackers stored inside the unit caught fire. A large cloud of smoke covered the area. The factory owner was identified as Adil.

The factory fire disrupted train services on the Delhi-Howrah line for about an hour. The Ajmer-Sealdah Express, which had reached near the site, was sent back to Manauri railway station, while the Varanasi-Delhi Vande Bharat was stopped at Saiyad Sarawan railway station.

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Police, fire brigade teams, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel were deployed at the site. More than a dozen fire tenders and around two dozen ambulances were rushed to the area, while over 50 Air Force personnel also joined the rescue effort.