New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): Delhi Police on Thursday seized 693 kilograms of illegal firecrackers of 42 different brands and apprehended one culprit.

According to the police, acting on secret information received by the Crime Branch, the Delhi Police conducted a raid in the Matiala village area of Delhi. It apprehended one person, a 52-year-old resident of the village, Dilbagh Singh.

During the operation, the Police recovered illegal firecrackers from the ground floor of the premises, which were being misused under the cover of an ice cream manufacturing unit. This illegal stock was kept under highly unsafe conditions in a residential area, posing a serious risk to public safety, as per the police.

Subsequently, upon investigation, the accused admitted to having hoarded the firecrackers with the intention of selling them during the upcoming festive season for monetary gain.

Furthermore, the accused disclosed that he had purchased these firecrackers from roadside shops in Kurali, Punjab, where the sale and purchase of firecrackers are not prohibited.

The investigation is currently underway to trace the supply chain of banned firecrackers. The case has been registered under Sections 223(B)/288 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 9(B) of the Explosives Act.

Meanwhile, on September 30, the Delhi Police, acting on a tip-off from the Crime Branch, conducted a raid in Samta Vihar, Delhi, where they recovered a significant consignment of 122 kg of banned firecrackers. During the operation, they apprehended a suspect named Radha Raman.

Following his arrest, Radha Raman confessed that he had obtained the firecrackers from Gurugram and intended to sell them at a higher price in the local area.

The investigation is ongoing to trace the entire supply chain associated with the illegal firecrackers. A case was registered under the relevant sections of 223(b)/288 BNS and Section 9B of the Explosive Act at the Crime Branch police station. (ANI)