Death toll rises to 13 in UP's Kaushambi firecracker unit blast; owner arrested after encounter

LUCKNOW: The death toll in the explosion at an illegal firecracker factory on the Prayagraj-Kaushambi border rose to 13 on Tuesday after two more injured victims succumbed to their injuries, even as police arrested the factory owner, Naushad, following an encounter in Kaushambi district.

Naushad, who had been absconding since the blast, was arrested in the Saiyad Sarawan area around 4 am on Tuesday while allegedly attempting to flee. According to CO, Chail, Shivank Singh, police acted on an informer's tip-off and surrounded the area. When challenged, Naushad allegedly opened fire on the police team, prompting retaliatory firing in which he sustained a bullet injury to his leg.

He was admitted to hospital and is currently under police custody. An illegal country-made pistol and cartridges were recovered from him, police said.

Investigators are now trying to establish where Naushad hid after the explosion and who may have helped him evade arrest.

The blast occurred around noon on August 31 at an illegal fireworks factory operating from a house in Manauri market under Pipri police station limits. The explosion was heard up to two kilometres away and triggered a massive fire. Continuous bursts of stored firecrackers created panic in the densely populated locality and hampered rescue operations.

Initially, 11 deaths were confirmed. With two more injured victims dying during treatment on Tuesday, the toll has now climbed to 13. Several others remain under treatment.

Police said fireworks were being manufactured and stored in violation of safety norms at the factory. Following the incident, a case was registered against six members of the same family, including Naushad; his brother Shakeel; Shakeel's wife Shabana; Naushad's wife Kahkasha Bano; Naushad's son Adil; and Shakeel's daughter Saina.

Shabana was detained soon after the blast and is being questioned. Police said Naushad's interrogation was expected to shed light on the operation of the factory, procurement and sale of fireworks, and the involvement of the other accused.

The explosion caused extensive damage to the factory building and nearby structures. After the fire was brought under control, police, fire personnel and disaster-response teams combed through the debris to search for victims and collect evidence.

The incident also triggered administrative action. Superintendent of Police Satyanarayan Prajapat suspended four police personnel, including the Pipri SHO, for alleged negligence. Four special teams were constituted to investigate the case and arrest those responsible.

Police are also probing how long the illegal unit had been operating, whether local authorities were aware of its existence, and possible lapses in enforcement that allowed a hazardous fireworks manufacturing operation to function in a residential area.

Police said that critically injured Rajesh Kumar (45) of Madpur Manauri succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Police also said that during search operations of nearby areas, some splintered body parts were found, which have been collected for DNA sampling. Family members of Sunil Kumar, a worker at a nearby bundi factory, claimed that these body parts belonged to Sunil.