In a major breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the blast that took place at an illegal firecracker factory in West Bengal, the local police made its first arrest in the case on Monday.
The arrested person has been identified as Safikul Islam who was accused of being involved in the explosion at Duttarpukur in the North 24 Parganas district that claimed lives of at least eight persons while leaving several others injured on Sunday morning.
An official at Barasat Fire Station was quoted by ANI saying, “With one more body recovered from the wreckage of the factory, the toll in the cracker factory blast is now at 8.”
Following the incident, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the West Bengal governing stating that the incidents reflect the failure of the state administration.
Chowdhury said, “The amount of explosive materials (found at the scene of the blast) is proof that the Bengal government has allowed traders to run such illegal units wherever they want, even at the cost of lives. Traders, who deal in explosives, are being given complete freedom to run such units. This has resulted in such incidents.”
“The incident shows the abject failure of the state machinery and the law enforcement authorities. We only come to know of such factories when blasts happen and innocent lives are lost. After a cursory response from the administration and the police, everything goes quiet, and the illegal units return to business. It is the common man, who is made to pay the ultimate price for such illegal and nefarious activities,” he added.
Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said, “This is not an isolated incident. The entire state is sitting on a powder keg. The chief minister had promised to close these illegal cracker-manufacturing factories, but she is busy protecting the thieves in her government and hosting the Imams instead. She is holding meetings with Muslim preachers.”
