Firozabad factory explosion: Accused arrested after encounter with police

Police have arrested the main accused in an explosion at a firecracker godown-cum-factory that killed five persons including two children, police said on Tuesday.

Bhure Khan alias Nabi Abdullaha was arrested following an encounter and suffered a bullet injury on his led, they said.

The police received a tip-off that Khan was hiding near a canal in Shikohabad police station and was trying to flee, Additional SP Praveen Tiwari said.

When the police tried to stop Khan, who was trying to escape, he opened fire at them. In exchange for fire, he suffered a bullet injury on his leg after which he was arrested and sent to the district hospital for treatment.

Five persons, including two children and a woman, were killed due to an explosion at a firecracker godown-cum-factory here on Monday night.
 

The explosion caused damage to nearby houses and 11 persons were injured in the blast, which occurred in the factory located in the Naushera area under the Shikohabad police station limits.

On Tuesday, based on the complaint lodged by the son of a deceased woman, a case was registered against Bhoora alias Nabi Abdullah, who manufactures and sells firecrackers, and his two sons.

SHO of the Shikohabad police station Pradeep Kumar Singh, on Tuesday told PTI, "The house where the explosion took place belongs to Prem Singh Kushwaha and it was completely razed to the ground. The house was taken on rent by Bhura, who manufactures and sells firecrackers. No one was injured in the house, where the explosion took place."

"Based on the complaint lodged by Pawan Kushwaha, son of deceased Meera Devi Kushwaha, a case has been registered against Bhoora and his two sons -- Taj and Raja -- under relevant sections of the BNS and the Explosives Act," Singh had said.

In his complaint, Kushwaha said, "In our village Naushera, Bhoora alias Nabi Abdullah was into firecrackers' business for a long time... Bhoora along with his sons Taj, Raja and others had, as part of a conspiracy, stored huge amount of explosive material inside his rented house. The three as part of a conspiracy ignited the explosive substances and ran away.

"As a result of this, there was a huge explosion, in which my family members and my neighbour were buried under the debris, and died," he said.

Locals also said that around one dozen houses were damaged due to the blast, and the roofs of some of the houses were also damaged.

They said that there was a blast in the firecracker godown around 10.30 pm on Monday due to which the walls of the building collapsed and about seven people got buried under the debris.

Meera Devi (45), Aman Kushwaha (17), Gautam Kushwaha (16), Kumari Ichha (4) and Abhinaye (2) died in the incident, officials said. The two kids are siblings, police said.