Cuttack commissionerate police seized illegal fireworks worth Rs 40 lakh during raids across several areas on Monday, detained two people and confiscated two four-wheelers as part of a special drive against unauthorised storage and sale.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said police teams carried out searches in Bayalish Mouza, Barang, Bidanasi and Jagatpur. The raids targeted locations where fireworks were allegedly stored without valid licences and mandatory safety clearances.
The seized stock represents a significant enforcement action against the illegal fireworks trade operating in and around Cuttack. Police have not disclosed the exact quantity or specific types of fireworks recovered, but said a large stock was found during searches at multiple locations.
Two people have been detained and are being questioned as investigators examine the source of the fireworks and the wider network behind their storage and distribution. Police are also investigating whether the seized vehicles were used to transport the stock.
“We conducted raids at Bayalish Mouza, Barang, Bidanasi and Jagatpur areas as part of a special drive against the illegal storage and sale of fireworks,” Dnyandeo said. He added that further investigation was underway and that questioning could establish the involvement of other people in the illegal trade.
The investigation will also examine whether the detained individuals were supplying fireworks to other traders or distributing them in different parts of the district. That line of inquiry could determine whether the seizures were linked to a broader supply chain rather than isolated storage violations.
Illegal storage and transportation of fireworks can create risks in densely occupied urban and peri-urban areas, particularly where stocks are kept near homes, shops, roads or other public facilities. The police statement did not identify the precise storage conditions or disclose whether any injuries or property damage had occurred.
Police said the enforcement drive against illegal storage, transportation and sale of fireworks would continue. Authorities have also warned that strict action would be taken against people found violating safety norms as the investigation proceeds.
