The death toll in an explosion at an illegal fireworks factory at Mochpol area under Duttapukur police station in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district rose to nine on Monday with one more person succumbing to injurie
Safiqul Islam whose house was being used to make the fireworks has been arrested. A case under Sections 286/304/308/34 of the Indian Penal Code, 9B The Explosive Act and 24/26 The Fire Service Act has been registered against four persons.
Police officers suspended
On Monday the Officers in Charge (OC) of Nilganj Police outpost and Duttapulur police station were suspended. Bhaskar Mukherjee, Superintendent of Police, Barasat Police District said that there are four suspects, three of whom have died. “The crackers were stored in the home of Shamshul. Another person Ramjan Ali, who is booth president of ISF (Indian Secular Front) is also involved,” the SP said. Keramat Ali and his son Roushan Ali who also died in the explosion are said to be responsible for the factory. Safiqul Islam was in partnership with Keramat Ali.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her disappointment at a meeting of the State Cabinet today. She wanted to know why steps were not taken after she had sought action following an explosion at Egra in Purba Medinipur district. An explosion at an illegal fireworks factory at Egra on May 16 claimed 12 lives.
Earlier in the day , the Chief Minister said that the police are turning a blind eye to illegal activities.
The incident has led to a political storm and Opposition parties wasted no time in using it to attack the state government. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal Pradesh Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Md. Salim were among those who visited the explosion site. BJP legislators also held protests in the West Bengal Assembly on the issue.
THe BJP has demanded an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Mr. Adhikari along with other MLAs of the party visited the site and demanded removal of local MLA and Minister of Food Supplies, Rathin Ghosh from the cabinet. The BJP leader said that he had approached the Calcutta High Court over the incident.
Special Explosive Zone
“The state government is unconcerned. That is nothing new. The frequency of these incidents gives us the impression that we are in a Special Explosive Zone. This was a very organised project in Duttapukur. We are moving Court.” the State Congress president said.
CPI(M) state secretary Md. Salim said that the entire State was sitting on a pile of explosives and blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the blast.
During the day, a large cache of fireworks was seized near the incident site. A team from the NIA also collected samples from the explosion site.
