Locals gather to douse a fire at a godown at Netaji Commercial Market in Malda, West Bengal on May 23, 2023. , Photo Credit: PTI
Two people were killed when a fire broke out at a godown where firecrackers were being stored illegally in English Bazar town of West Bengal’s Malda district. The fire started from an early morning explosion.
Along with this, 16 people have died due to explosion and fire in illegal firecracker units or godowns in the state in the last one week.
On May 21, three women of a family were killed in an explosion and fire at a firecracker godown under Bajaj police station in South 24 Parganas district. On May 16, 11 people were killed in a blast at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Kharikul village of Purba Medinipur. Most of the victims were women working in the unit. The villagers alleged that country bombs were being made in the unit.
Speaking on the incident at English Bazar, Trinamool Congress leader and English Bazar municipality chairman Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhary said the fire had spread to other shops as well. Mr Chowdhary said a laborer and a security guard were killed in the fire, which started in the morning and lasted till afternoon.
The West Bengal cabinet on Monday announced setting up of a committee headed by the state’s chief secretary to probe illegal firecracker manufacturing units. The committee has to submit its report in two months.
In the last few days, a huge quantity of firecrackers and raw materials used for making crackers as well as crude bombs have been recovered by the police from different parts of the state. In some parts, police announced on the streets that if they have hoarded firecrackers then hand them over.
On 22 May, residents reported a crude bomb blast in Ghorapara village of Birbhum district. One person was arrested in connection with the incident.
Defense of MP
At a time when frequent fire accidents and deaths have put the state government in jeopardy, Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy from Dum Dum has come to the government’s rescue. “It is very hot. If potassium chloride and arsenic trisulphide are put together this summer, they can explode. Is it possible for the police to know where firecrackers are hidden in the state’s 38,000 villages? Mr Roy said .
The remark drew sharp reaction from the opposition parties. BJP state president Sukant Majumdar said that Mr. Rai is losing his temper in such heat. Mr Majumdar alleged that explosives were being planted ahead of the Panchayat elections to prevent people from exercising their franchise. Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Samik Lahiri said that Prof. Roy is justifying illegal activities. He said that till Trinamool is not removed from power, no one is safe in the state.