Bhubaneswar: With the state witnessing multiple cracker mishaps in the last two days, police today conducted a state-wide special drive against illegal cracker manufacturing units in which as many as 272 cracker units were raided while 64 persons were arrested for violating norms in this connection.
According to sources, as per the directive of the Police DG, RP Sharma to all SPs and DCPs to ensure compliance to Diwali safety guidelines, surprise raids were conducted in several parts of the state.
As many as 185 cases were registered in this regard while the total number of prosecution reports submitted was 97. Officials also seized and disposed off fire crackers worth lakhs of rupees.
So far multiple cracker explosion accidents have been reported from various parts of the state.
Today as many as 8 persons were injured during a cracker explosion in Bhadrak. Two of them who sustained critical burn injuries were rushed to Cuttack SCB medical. One of them sustained severe burn injuries in his eyes while the other one burnt his palms. Similarly earlier in the day, a youth was also critically injured in a cracker explosion in Raniguda. He was reported to have lost both his palms during the blast. Initially he was rushed to Rayagada hospital and later shifted to MKCG hospital in Berhampur.
Moreover, the death toll in the horrific cracker unit explosion in Bahabalpur area of Balasore yesterday rose to 11 today with one more person succumbing to burn injuries at the SCB. In another such incident, a minor girl was killed while four others were injured critically in an explosion while making crackers at Bilipada near Pipili in Puri district yesterday.