Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 7 FEB: At least four women lost their lives, and another woman sustained critical injuries following a devastating explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Rathtala, under Kalyani police station limits, on Friday afternoon. The blast occurred around 1:30 pm, causing widespread panic in the densely populated area.
According to police sources, four victims were rescued from the blast site and rushed to JNM Hospital, where they were declared dead upon arrival. The deceased have been identified as Bharati Chowdhury (60), Ruma Sonar (35), Anjali Biswas (60), and Durga Saha (40), all residents of Rathtala or nearby areas. The critically injured woman, Ujjala Bhuina (35), who suffered 80 percent burn injuries, is battling for her life at JNM Hospital.
The explosion triggered a massive fire, but due to the congested nature of the area, fire brigade vehicles could not reach the site. Firefighters were forced to rely on nearby tubewells to douse the flames, which took about an hour and a half to bring under control.
A team of forensic experts has been dispatched to the scene to investigate the cause of the explosion, a senior police officer said.
Local municipal authorities acknowledged the presence of multiple firecracker units operating in the area for several years. Subrata Chakraborty, councilor of Ward 20, under which Rathtala falls, stated, “I am not sure if these units have manufacturing permits, but they do have permission to sell firecrackers.”
Nilimesh Roy Chowdhury, chairman of the Kalyani municipality, added, “These units have been functioning for a long time, but the authority to grant manufacturing permits lies with the administration. A committee has been formed to probe the incident, and appropriate action will be taken based on its findings.”
The incident has sparked outrage among local residents, who questioned how such a hazardous manufacturing unit could operate in a densely populated area despite the state government’s crackdown on illegal firecracker units.
BJP MLA Ambika Roy visited the site and criticized the ruling government, alleging that West Bengal has become a hub for illegal manufacturing units under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s regime. However, he was soon confronted by a group of locals who objected to politicizing the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, authorities are under pressure to take stringent action against illegal firecracker manufacturing units operating in the area, a police officer said adding that police have already arrested Sadhan alias Khokon Biswas, owner of the firecracker unit, who was absconding following the incident.
Tags: #FireCrackerUnit #Blast #Kalyani
