Nagpur Police registered 93 cases during Diwali for violations of the city’s firecracker restrictions and seized material valued at Rs 1,90,235, according to a report by Loksatta. The cases covered both the use of firecrackers in public places and the sale of fireworks in violation of permitted conditions.
Police registered 39 cases against people who allegedly burst firecrackers on public roads and other public places. The action followed restrictions that prohibited the use of firecrackers in public spaces, including roads, during the festival period.
A further 54 cases were registered over the sale of fireworks other than approved green crackers and for breaches of conditions attached to firecracker sale licences. Together, the two categories took the total number of cases filed in Nagpur to 93.
The restrictions also covered the use of rockets and sky shots from terraces. Sellers were required to comply with conditions governing the sale of green crackers, which are intended to generate lower levels of pollution than conventional fireworks. The police seizure in the reported cases was valued at Rs 1.90 lakh.
The enforcement action reflects the difficulty of implementing festival-related restrictions across a dense urban area where firecracker use takes place in residential neighbourhoods, on roads and near other public spaces. Public-road use can affect pedestrians, motorists and nearby residents, while the sale of non-compliant fireworks creates a separate enforcement challenge for police and licensing authorities.
The restrictions cited in the report follow directions issued by the Bombay High Court in a suo motu public interest litigation concerning the illegal use of loudspeakers and firecrackers during festivals. The court’s directions sought to limit noise and air pollution by prohibiting firecracker use on public roads and encouraging the use of green crackers.
The Nagpur cases therefore represent two distinct enforcement responsibilities: preventing prohibited use in public areas and regulating the supply of fireworks through licensing and product conditions. The figures reported by the police show that violations were recorded not only at the point of use but also within the city’s retail chain.
The report does not specify the number of arrests, the penalties imposed in individual cases or the locations where the alleged violations occurred. It also does not state whether further cases or seizures are expected. The immediate enforcement record available is 93 cases and seized goods worth Rs 1,90,235, with 39 cases linked to public use and 54 linked to sale-related violations.
