Muktsar cracker factory blast: Father-son owners, labour contractor held

Muktsar district police have arrested three persons in connection with the devastating blast at an illegal firecracker factory at Fatuhiwala village in the Lambi Assembly segment here, which killed five people and left nearly 30 injured, including some women and minors, in the early hours of Friday. Those arrested included Tarsem Singh, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activist; his son, Navraj Singh – both residents of the adjoining Singhewala village – and labour contractor Raj Kumar, who was later named in the FIR. Tarsem’s wife, Sukhchain Kaur, who was initially named in the FIR, is currently absconding. The blast, which occurred around 1 am on Friday, reduced the two-storey factory building to rubble, trapping nearly 40 workers – mostly migrant labourers – under the debris. The explosion, reportedly audible up to 10-km away, occurred during a dust storm and is suspected to have been triggered by a spark in the firecracker production unit. According to officials, the illegal factory was operated by Tarsem Singh’s family. Preliminary investigations revealed that while an application for permission to manufacture firecrackers had been submitted under the Explosives Act on April 1, it was however not granted till date. Following the explosion, some survivors claimed that the factory owner briefly appeared, promised Rs 500 to each worker to return home, and then fled the scene. One injured worker, whose 17-year-old brother was also hurt in the blast, expressed despair over being abandoned without any resources or support. Muktsar SSP Akhil Chaudhary confirmed the arrests and said that further investigations were underway to determine the precise cause of the blast and to identify any other person involved. A case was registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Indian Explosives Act, and the Factories Act at the Lambi police station on Friday. The trapped workers were rescued and the bodies recovered yesterday, following strenuous efforts by volunteers from Dera Sacha Sauda and the police. The injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital at Badal village and to AIIMS in Bathinda. Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Abhijeet Kaplish has already announced Rs 2 lakh each as ex-gratia compensation for the families of the deceased and assured free medical treatment for the injured. Agriculture Minister-cum-MLA Lambi Gurmeet Singh Khudian and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal visited some of the injured yesterday. While Khudian vowed strict action against those responsible and promised full assistance to the victims’ families, Sukhbir demanded a thorough probe into the incident and accused AAP leaders of shielding the owners of the illegal factory.

Punjab