North 24 Paraganas (West Bengal): At least seven people were killed in a firecracker factory blast in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Sunday, police said. The incident, which occurred in the Duttapukur area of the district, evoked outrage among locals, who protested against the authorities, citing the administration's alleged negligence despite warning about the occurrence of such an incident.
Locals said their fears stemmed from the fact that earlier similar incidents happened in the state but authorities chose to ignore despite repeated warnings. The deceased included several women who were working at the illegal firecracker factory. The extent of the intensity was gauged from the facts that some charred and a few other half-burnt bodies were found scattered all over places near the spot.
Locals said a few bodies were found on the roofs of houses and trees after the horrific blast which emanated fire and smoke, triggering panic. The death toll is likely to increase, they said. The locals said they requested authorities to stop firecrackers being made at the factory, but nothing was done to dissuade the owner from doing the illegal work.
They also alleged that firecrackers were being made right under the nose of the police and administration. According to locals, the incident happened at about 8 a.m. on Sunday Morning. A local man said he saw several blood-stained bodies strewn in places and added that he along with others rescued a woman and her child, who were unable to come out of their house after the blast occurred.
Also Read : Maharashtra: 73 farmers die by suicide in Chandrapur from Jan to July 2023
On May 16, a similar blast in East Midnapore's Egra killed nine people and critically injured seven others. The impact of the explosion was so massive that the factory which was being run from a residential building collapsed. Krishnapada Bag alias Bhanu Bag, the owner of the illegal firework factory died at a hospital in Odisha’s Cuttack later. Again on May 21, a re-run of the previous incident saw the occurrence of an almost similar blast in South 24 Parganas Budge Budge area. Three blasts in illegal firecracker factories over the past four months evoked resentment among people, who are raising questions about the government's intention to stop the recurrence of such incidents in the state.
Also read: Nuh violence: Hindus' Shobhayatra to resume tomorrow; schools, colleges, banks to remain closed
