Madhya Pradesh Police have seized nearly 150 carbide guns, around 60 kg of gunpowder and illegal firecrackers and manufacturing materials worth more than Rs 45 lakh in a 10-day statewide crackdown ahead of Diwali, with Gwalior-Chambal and Bundelkhand identified as major hotspots.
The seizures were reported from Sagar, Chhatarpur, Morena, Gwalior, Datia, Indore, Ujjain and other districts. Police action focused on the illegal manufacture, storage, sale and transport of firecrackers, including checks at more than 100 locations in Sagar district.
Sagar has emerged as one of the largest centres of illegal firecracker storage in the crackdown, with seizures valued at approximately Rs 29.71 lakh. Police registered 10 cases during the checks and seized firecrackers worth Rs 3.69 lakh, according to the report.
In Moti Nagar, police seized illegal firecrackers valued at Rs 19 lakh in two cases. In Naogaon, police arrested a man who was allegedly transporting firecrackers illegally and recovered 13 cartons valued at Rs 2.20 lakh, along with a three-wheeler taxi.
Another operation by Kotwali police targeted an illegal firecracker warehouse near a bypass road in a residential area. Officers recovered 91 cartons and 10 sacks of firecrackers estimated to be worth around Rs 4.50 lakh. The location of the warehouse places the enforcement action within a neighbourhood safety context, where the storage of explosive materials can expose nearby residents and buildings to fire and blast risks.
In Datia district, Indergarh police acted on information about a fire caused by firecrackers. The operation led to the seizure of around 60 kg of gunpowder, illegal firecrackers and materials allegedly used for their manufacture from two houses.
Police have also seized nearly 150 carbide guns in Gwalior and Sheopur. Carbide guns are locally used devices that can create loud explosive sounds, and their seizure forms part of the wider effort to restrict unauthorised explosive materials and devices before the festival period.
The recoveries indicate that enforcement is dealing with multiple points in the supply chain rather than a single location. Police operations have covered residential storage, roadside transport, manufacturing inputs and finished firecrackers across several districts.
The action also highlights the administrative challenge of controlling seasonal demand through inspections spread across urban and semi-urban areas. In the reported cases, enforcement depended on district-level police checks, local information and raids at houses, warehouses and transport points.
The statewide crackdown is continuing across Madhya Pradesh, with police investigations and seizures underway in the districts where illegal firecracker activity has been reported.
