Lucknow: Police in Balrampur have busted an illegal firecracker storage and sale operation being run from the underground section of a shop that outwardly functioned as a biscuit and chocolate outlet at Chungi Naka Tiraha in the Naharbalaganj area.Police said they recovered 1,080 packets of assorted firecrackers concealed inside nine green plastic sacks during a search at the shop on Friday. The shop’s operator, Imran Khan, was arrested after he failed to produce any licence or authorisation for storing or selling firecrackers.City circle officer Abhishek Singh said police received information late Wednesday night that a large quantity of firecrackers had been illegally stored at a shop near Chungi Naka Tiraha. Acting on the tip-off, sub-inspectors Navneet Singh and Amit Chauhan led a police team to the premises and sought the shopkeeper’s consent to conduct a search.Officials said the initial inspection of the ground-level shop area revealed only biscuits, chocolates and other routine grocery items. The team then searched the underground section, where they located nine green sacks. When opened, the sacks were found to contain packets of different firecracker varieties. Police said each sack contained 120 packets, taking the total seizure to 1,080.The recovered stock included chhur-chhuri, carrot-shaped crackers, rockets, chakris, mirchi crackers, sutli bombs, matchstick crackers, snake tablets and bullet crackers, among other items.Inspector Girjesh Tiwari said the quantity and concealment indicated unauthorised storage. Police said Imran told investigators he sold firecrackers from the same shop while keeping it masked as a confectionery and grocery outlet. A probe has been initiated to determine when the consignment was procured, from where it was sourced, and whether others were involved in supplying or distributing the stock. Investigators are seeking purchase-related documents from the accused.The underground storage of a substantial quantity has also raised safety concerns for nearby residents and businesses. Superintendent of police Martand Prakash Singh said the district-wide crackdown on illegal firecracker trade would continue.
