Punjab: Lambi firecracker factory explosion, no trace of land owner even after a week

Punjab: It has been almost a week since the blast at an illegal firecracker factory in Fatuhiwala village of Lambi assembly constituency on Friday morning. Five people were killed and around 30 injured in the blast. However, neither a magisterial probe has been ordered nor responsibility of any official has been fixed. Notably, within hours of the incident, Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Abhijeet Kaplish had said that the district administration had not given permission for the factory. He had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of each deceased. Besides, the District Red Cross Society arranged three ambulances to send the bodies to the native places of the victims in Uttar Pradesh. Notably, the factory belonged to AAP worker Tarsem Singh, his son Navraj Singh and his wife Sukhchain Kaur. All of them are residents of Singhewala village. After the tragic incident, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, who is an MLA from Lambi, said that though the factory belonged to an AAP worker, the law will take its course. So far, four accused – Tarsem, his son Navraj, a labour contractor Raj Kumar and an alleged explosive supplier Prashant Goyal – have been arrested.

They were produced in court on Wednesday. The court sent Prashant Goyal to five-day police custody while the other three were sent to judicial custody. Sukhchain Kaur, who is the owner of the land where the factory was located, is currently absconding. Meanwhile, some of the injured are still hospitalised and recovering from their injuries. Muktsar Additional Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Thind confirmed that no departmental action has been taken against any official so far. Further, Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Abhijeet Kaplish said that no magisterial inquiry has been ordered though the police are investigating. Notably, a case has been registered at the Lambi police station under various sections of the Indian Justice Code (BNS), including Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) as well as provisions of the Indian Explosives Act and the Factories Act. Muktsar SSP Akhil Chaudhary said, “A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the SP (D) is thoroughly investigating the incident. So far four people have been arrested. Some items have been seized from the blast site but the forensic science report is awaited.”