Illegal cracker making units busted

CUTTACK: Cracking down on illegal firecracker manufacturing units at Trilochanpur and Mahajanpur villages in Jagatpur ahead of Diwali, Commissionerate Police on Sunday seized a huge quantity of explosive materials and arrested five persons in this connection.

Acting on several complaints about operation of illegal firecracker making units, a team of Jagatpur police led by ACP Trinath Mishra conducted a raid on the house of Rabi Nayak at Mahajanpur and nabbed him on Saturday evening. However, a group of villagers opposed the police and snatched away from the cops. Following the incident, DCP Akhilesvar Singh sent a special squad comprising IICs of Chauliaganj, Malgodown, Kandarpur, Choudwar and Mahila police stations and 20 officers led by Mishra conducted raid again by deploying seven platoons of force in the two villages on Sunday. 

As many as 22 illegal fireworks manufacturing units were detected during the six-hour raid conducted on 35 houses. A total seven cases have been registered in this connection and raid will continue till Diwali, said the ACP.The accused have been identified as Kishore Sahoo alias Makara, Rili Nayak, Laxmidhar Biswal, Rabi Narayan Swain and Raghunath Bhoi. Police also seized firecrackers worth more than ` five lakh.