37 kg firecrackers seized in Delhi's Govindpuri, 2 held

Delhi Police has seized 37 kg illegal firecrackers in Govindpuri and arrested two people in separate incidents, officials said on Thursday.

Both the accused persons run general stores in Govindpuri, the police said, adding that they have no previous criminal involvement.

Acting on a tip-off that a person was selling firecrackers at his shop in Govindpuri, the police conducted a raid and found two cartons of firecrackers there, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) Esha Pandey said.

The shopkeeper, identified as Pramod Garg (41), was arrested and 21 kg of firecrackers were seized from his possession, she said.

In another incident in Govindpuri, during patrolling, the police saw a man trying to close his shop in a hurry.

They found 16 kg of firecrackers in the shop and arrested its owner Parvesh Garg (40).

According to the Delhi Police data released on Wednesday, at least 55 people have been arrested and over 6,000 kilograms of firecrackers seized since the ban on fireworks in the national capital.

Fifty-six cases have been registered against the 55 people for storing, selling and bursting firecrackers, the data showed.

Out of the 6,050 kg seized crackers, 2,400 kg was seized from the Delhi Police's north district, followed by Rohini district 1,163 kg and central district 298 kg, it added.

The police had said that even though most of the manufacturing and storage units were shut in the national capital, people engaged in the business managed to procure firecrackers at lower prices from neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in huge quantities.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced a ban on firecrackers on September 15, saying it was "essential to save lives".

On September 28, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had ordered a complete ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1 next year.

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