Lucknow, September 1: The police in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district are intensifying their actions following a devastating explosion at a fireworks factory in Manori. Late Monday night, the Special Operations Group (SOG) and Charwa police engaged in a shootout with the main accused, Naushad Ali, who sustained a gunshot wound to his leg and was subsequently arrested.
The incident occurred on Monday in the Manori market area, where a massive fire broke out at the fireworks factory, resulting in at least 11 fatalities and five injuries. The police have registered a case against six individuals in connection with the incident, and five police officers have faced disciplinary action for negligence.
Circle Officer Shivank Singh stated, “An incident of fire at a fireworks factory occurred yesterday. Teams were formed to apprehend the main accused. Around 4 AM, we received a tip-off that the main accused was attempting to flee. The police quickly arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area. The accused fired at the police, and in the retaliatory action, he was shot in the leg. During interrogation, he identified himself as Naushad. He is currently receiving medical treatment, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused.”
The police, through a press release, informed that they promptly reached the site of the explosion at the fireworks factory under the Pipri police station to carry out rescue and relief operations. A case was registered against six accused individuals, and two of them, Shabana, wife of Shakeel, and Saina, daughter of Shakeel, residents of Mahmoodpur, were taken into custody for questioning.
In light of the gross negligence displayed during the incident, the Superintendent of Police has suspended Pipri police station in-charge Vikas Singh, Chawki 5 in-charge Sub-Inspector Amit Dwivedi, and former Chawki in-charge Sub-Inspector Manish Pal. Additionally, Beat Constable Jitendra Kumar and Constable Krishna Kumar from the Pipri police station have been suspended for failing to report information related to the operation of the fireworks factory.
District Magistrate Amit Pal Sharma confirmed that teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have arrived at the site to assist in rescue and relief efforts.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the incident, directing officials to expedite rescue operations and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. He also instructed the administration to provide all possible assistance to the affected families and announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.