Police seize 3,580 kg of illegal firecrackers from west Delhi; three arrested

The three were caught repacking the firecrackers for supply and had procured the illegal crackers from Meerut and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana’s Gurugram for high-profit sale in Delhi during the ongoing festival season despite the Supreme Court’s ban.

Over 3,580 kilogram of illegal firecrackers were recovered by police from a house in Vishal Enclave, Rajouri Garden, on Saturday and arrested a couple and their son for storing them in every part of their home, officers said.

The arrested three. (Ht)

The accused were identified as Sushil Kakkar, 53; his wife, Upasana Kakkar, 50; and their son, Shivam Kakkar, 28. Police said they were caught while repacking the firecrackers into smaller consignments for supply. Investigators said the family procured consignments from Meerut and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Gurugram in Haryana for high-profit sale in Delhi during the festival season, despite the Supreme Court’s continuing ban on the storage and sale of polluting firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.

Deputy commissioner of police (West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar said that in view of the festival season, teams had been instructed to check violations and trace bulk suppliers. “On Thursday, the west district police’s special team received information and raided a house in west Delhi, where a huge quantity of firecrackers was stored on first floor. A plastic sheet was used to cover the balcony and store the contraband to hide it from sight,” he said.

“The family members were caught while repacking the firecrackers into smaller consignments for sale. All three were arrested. The seizure also helped prevent a potential large-scale fire accident in a congested neighbourhood,” added DCP Bhaskar.

Police said the family runs a snacks shop in Moti Nagar but had also been involved in the illegal firecracker trade for years. They procured consignments months ahead of Diwali, delivered late at night in small vehicles, and sold to retailers who collected them under cover of darkness. Officers said the family even installed four CCTV cameras outside to keep vigil.

To be sure, the Supreme Court on Friday reiterated that while licensed manufacturers may produce certified green firecrackers, they cannot be sold in Delhi or the NCR.