Ujjain police recovered firecrackers worth around Rs 10 lakh from an under-construction hotel in the residential area of Shastri Nagar on Friday night, detaining one man and beginning action under the Explosives Act. Police said the stock had been stored illegally on the first floor of the building in Lane No 9.
The recovery was carried out by the Neelganga police after an informer alerted officers that a large quantity of firecrackers was being kept at a residence in the locality. According to police station in-charge Tarun Kuril, officers raided the site after receiving the information and seized the stored material.
Police identified the detained man as 26-year-old Saurabh Sharma, who lives near the under-construction hotel. The firecrackers had reportedly been kept on the building’s first floor while construction was in progress. The location is situated within a residential area, bringing the storage of combustible and explosive material into close proximity to homes and other occupied premises.
During questioning, Sharma allegedly told police that his brother, Shivam, had brought the firecrackers from Indore and stored them at the site. Shivam has not yet been traced, according to the report. Police have detained Saurabh while further action is being taken against him under the Explosives Act.
The case highlights the regulatory risks created when buildings under construction are used for purposes unrelated to their approved activity, particularly for storing firecrackers. Such sites can have incomplete electrical systems, exposed construction materials, limited access control and no established arrangements for the safe handling of combustible goods. The police report, however, did not specify the quantity or types of firecrackers recovered, or whether the building had any licence or approval for storage.
The seizure also places attention on the responsibilities of property owners, occupants and enforcement agencies in residential neighbourhoods. The material was not reported to have been sold or transported at the time of the raid, and the report did not state whether any incident had occurred before the recovery.
Police have seized the stock as part of the case. The immediate next step is the action against Saurabh under the Explosives Act and efforts to locate Shivam, who police said remained untraced after the recovery.
