Kolkata Police Seize 110 Kilograms of Illegal Firecrackers Ahead of Kali Puja, One Arrested

Kolkata, October 29 (Daily Kiran) : Kolkata police have made a significant seizure of approximately 110 kilograms of illegal firecrackers in a raid conducted in North Kolkata. This operation, which took place early Thursday morning, led to the arrest of a 19-year-old identified as Mohammad Toufiq.

Acting on a tip-off, officers from the Burrabazar police station raided an abandoned building located on NS Road. During the search, they discovered a substantial stash of banned firecrackers packed in four large cardboard boxes.

Toufiq was taken into custody on charges of possessing firecrackers without the necessary licenses and permits. The police have initiated a case against him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 2023, and the Explosive Substances Act of 1908.

Kunal Agarwal, the Additional Commissioner of Police in Kolkata’s Detective Department, stated that the police are actively working to curb the illegal movement of firecrackers in the city. The operation was led by Sub-Inspector Uttam Kumar Halder, who was conducting patrols in the NS Road area around 1:45 AM when the raid occurred.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the firecrackers were stored in the building without any government authorization. Authorities expressed concern that such a large stockpile in a densely populated and commercially active area could lead to a tragic incident.

Investigators are now working to trace the origin of the seized firecrackers and determine if others were involved in their storage and distribution. There are also inquiries underway to see if this operation is linked to a larger illegal firecracker trafficking network operating in the city.

As Kali Puja approaches, Kolkata police have indicated they will intensify their inspections and raids to prevent the storage and sale of banned firecrackers, aiming to ensure safety during the festival.