Kalyani firecracker factory blast: Owner arrested
Kolkata: The owner of an alleged illegal firecracker factory in Kalyani, Nadia, was arrested late on Friday night, seven hours after a massive explosion at the unit claimed four lives.
Sadhan Biswas (also known as Khokan), the factory owner, was reportedly present at the time of the blast and sustained injuries himself. However, he fled the scene, leaving behind critically wounded workers.
Following the explosion, police launched an investigation and tracked Biswas’s mobile phone, which was found changing locations frequently. His last known signals were traced near Kalyani Expressway and later Naihati before the device was switched off. Acting on leads from his associates, cops eventually located and arrested him.
On Saturday, Biswas was produced in court and remanded to seven days in police custody. Officials stated that while he possessed a valid licence to trade in firecrackers, he did not have permission to manufacture them.
He has been booked under multiple non-bailable sections, including the Explosives Act. Sources revealed that Biswas had been arrested in September 2023 for producing illegal crackers but resumed operations after securing bail within a week.
The explosion occurred around 2 pm on Friday at a single-storey unit in the Rathtala area (Ward 20) of Kalyani Municipality. The impact was so intense that it reduced the factory to rubble and damaged several nearby buildings. Several workers suffered severe burn injuries.
Four women were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital, while another remains in critical condition at Kalyani’s Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial (JNM) Hospital.
In response to the tragedy, the state government has announced compensation of Rs. 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.
Additionally, the state secretariat at Nabanna has sought detailed reports from both the district police and the Nadia district magistrate.
On Saturday afternoon, a forensic team visited the blast site to collect samples as part of the ongoing investigation.
