Man held with 21kg gunpowder in Bahraich

BAHRAICH: A 35-year-old man was arrested and over 21 kg gunpowder was recovered from his possession along with chemical and equipment used in manufacturing firecrackers in Bahraich on Monday.
The accused, Arif, was also booked for a blast at an illegal cracker factory in 2018 that had killed three people and injured six others.
Superintendent of police, Bahraich, Vipin Mishra told TOI that Arif was arrested from Kherighat area on a specific input of the local intelligence unit.
“The police also recovered 21 kg gun powder used in making firecrackers and around 50 kg other material along with 1,500 crude bombs of various shapes and sizes.” The police said that Arif was purportedly planning to set up an illegal cracker plant at a rented accommodation in the Kherighat area.
An FIR was lodged under charges of culpable homicide and Explosive Act against Arif for possession of explosives without licence. Mishra said that the police were trying to nab other members of his gang and were also tracing shops and dealers who were providing explosives to him.
In 2018, Arif had converted a mobile shop into an illegal cracker manufacturing plant where an explosion had occurred. Three people, including Arif’s brother, were killed in the explosion, while six others were severely injured.