Aska: Police seized a huge cache of firecrackers and other materials worth Rs 70 lakh during a raid on a cracker-making unit at Nalabanta under Aska police limits in Ganjam district Saturday.
Three persons were arrested on charges of illegal manufacturing and selling of firecrackers despite a government ban. 12 others managed to flee when police raided the area.
The accused were identified as Laba Behera, Jitu Pradhan and Ranjan Pradhan.
A team of officials got a tipoff about illegal manufacturing and selling of firecrackers for Diwali and raided the area with the help of police.
The team seized the firecrackers like bombs, kumpi, fataka, chakri, and other varieties in huge quantities as well as the raw materials such as gun powder, palm leaves, nitrogen powder, sulphur powder, charcoal, iron cylinder used in making of the crackers from the village.
Police transported the seized firecrackers in 8 mini-trucks to Aska police station. It is alleged that over 20 families are engaged in cracker-making business over years.
PNN