The incident occurred when workers at the factory, being run from a house in Khimsepur village, were shifting the crackers after a police raid. Five persons were killed on the spot and two died while being taken to hospital, police said.
The deceased were identified as Riyaz (22), Badi (25), Nanha (17), Guddan (20), Ayasha (11), Shakila (45) and Naseem (45), they said. Inspector General of Police Chandra Prakash later suspended Inspector K K Gautam and police outpost incharge of Madanpur A K Singh on ground of allegedly laxity.
He also asked the SP to initiate action against eight other policemen who were said to have let off the owner of the cracker unit despite detecting that he was doing illegal trade.