Event manager held in Delhi for storing 5,400 illegal firecrackers

NEW DELHI: The Inter-State Cell of the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested an event manager for storing and using pyro firecrackers, leading to the seizure of the 5,400 cold pyro firecrackers.

The accused has been identified as Ram Prakash (36), a resident of Burari, Delhi.

According to the police, the operation, conducted on December 15 in Jagatpur, Delhi, comes in the wake of a complete ban on firecrackers to combat severe air pollution in the National Capital Territory.

Acting on secret information, a team led by Inspector Mahipal Singh and supervised by ACP Ramesh Chander Lamba raided a godown owned by Ram Prakash, an event manager. The raid uncovered 30 cartons containing 5,400 cold pyro crackers, weighing a total of 630 kilograms.

The storage and use of these firecrackers violate the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s (DPCC) notification banning all firecracker activities, including storage, sale, and online delivery, until January 1, 2025.

A case under Section 223 B.N.S. has been registered against the accused, who was arrested at the scene. The seized firecrackers, marketed as “cold pyro,” emit smoke that contributes significantly to air pollution, despite being perceived as safer alternatives.

During interrogation, Ram Prakash admitted to illegally storing the fireworks for use in weddings and other events.

Despite the ban on fireworks, Prakash continued to operate, sourcing them from a supplier in Ghaziabad. Specialising in fireworks for weddings and parties, he charged premium rates, motivated by high profits. This is not his first offence; he has a prior case involving illegal firecrackers.

The Delhi Police have intensified efforts to enforce the ban, aiming to tackle air pollution amid worsening air quality.