The crime branch of Delhi Police on Sunday claimed to have broken the supply chain of illegal firecracker trade in different areas of the national capital with the arrest of three persons and recovery of over 1,300 kg of banned crackers before the upcoming Diwali festival.

According to police, 1,323 kg of banned crackers were seized from two godowns, while the owner of the two godowns and the driver who supplied the illegal crackers to Delhi and NCR were arrested. The accused have been identified as Manoj Kumar, 40, a graduate and resident of Nangloi in Delhi, Sanjay Atri, illiterate and resident of Rohtak in Haryana, and Vipin Kumar, who studied up to class 10 and resident of Rohini in Delhi.

DCP (Crime) Satish Kumar said, “On October 11, a secret tip-off regarding illegal firecrackers was reported in Baprola village of outer Delhi. The information was deepened using field sources. It has been revealed that the accused Manoj Kumar is running an illegal business of banned firecrackers in the area and is further supplying these illegal firecrackers across Delhi.

A case under Section 288 (Negligent conduct in relation to explosive substance) of the NBS and Section 9B of the Explosives Act 1884 has been registered. “During investigation, accused Manoj along with Sanjay Atri (driver of the accused vehicle DL-1-LP-7813 Mahendra PickUp, with which he was supplying illegal firecrackers across Delhi) were arrested,” Kumar said . .

He added that during interrogation with the accused/driver of the offending vehicle, it was revealed that Atri was supplying the banned firecrackers in Prem Naga and Kirari area. “A raid was also conducted at a godown located on Main Majri Road, Roop Vihar, Mubarakpur Dabas, Kirari, Delhi. A huge cache of illegal firecrackers was also recovered from there,” a senior police official said.

The officer said that during investigation, Godown owner Vipin Kumar was also arrested. “A total of 1,323 kg of illegal firecrackers were recovered during the entire operation and we have launched further investigation into the matter,” the DCP added.