Large quantity of banned firecrackers seized in state ahead of Kali Puja

Kolkata: The police seized a huge quantity of banned firecrackers while carrying out raids across the state to check bursting of banned crackers ahead of Kali Puja and Diwali.

The police, in all the districts, are maintaining a strict vigil to check smuggling of banned firecrackers. Cops are keeping a close watch on the goods vehicles and have seized banned firecrackers during special raids.

According to a police officer, banned firecrackers usually get smuggled in vehicles that carry vegetables or rice. The people involved in smuggling of banned firecrackers keep the same under sacks containing vegetables or rice in trucks to distract the police.

So the cops are thoroughly checking the suspected goods vehicles and legal steps are being taken against such truck drivers or those who are carrying the banned firecrackers. Police said that one person was arrested while he was found carrying banned firecrackers at Belda in West Midnapore. A huge quantity of banned firecrackers was also seized from the arrested person.

Similarly, a huge quantity of banned firecrackers was seized from East Burdwan. Acting on a tip-off, the officers of the District Enforcement Branch conducted a raid and seized the banned firecrackers. At the same time, sound level measuring metres have been distributed in 19 police stations in the district. Using the machine, the sound level of a particular area can be measured and it will help in checking the bursting of banned firecrackers as the police will take immediate steps if the metre shows that the level of sound of a particular area is crossing the permitted limit.

Again on Wednesday, firecrackers weighing around five kilogram were seized at Howrah Station and one person was arrested in this connection.

Similarly, police have conducted raids at Contai in East Midnapore and seized a huge quantity of banned firecrackers. One person was also arrested at Golabari Police Station in Howrah for carrying banned firecrackers.

The police are also keeping a watch so that banned firecrackers do not enter Kolkata. Constant checking is on at all the entry points of the city. It may be mentioned that there are firecrackers manufacturing units in South 24-Parganas and hence the cops are maintaining a vigil so that banned firecrackers do not enter the city through its southern fringes. The Kolkata Police have also made elaborate plans to check bursting of banned firecrackers on the days of Kali Puja and Diwali. At the same time, measures are being taken including creating awareness among people so that the order of the Supreme Court in terms of bursting firecrackers is followed.