Crime
Five killed in blast at illegal firecracker factory in Punjab’s Muktsar
Chandigarh, May 30: At least five people were killed and 34 injured on Friday in a blast at a double-storey illegal firecracker factory located on the outskirts of a village in Punjab’s Muktsar district, police said.
Most of the victims were migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The factory, owned by Tarsem Singh, who is associated with the state-ruled AAP, in Singhwala village, was reduced to rubble owing to the intensity of the blast, trapping many under debris.
According to the police, the blast occurred at midnight. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, and most of them were stated to be out of danger.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Muktsar Sahib, Akhil Chaudhary, said the blast occurred in one of the rooms in the manufacturing setup of the unit, which led to the collapse of the roof.
Many people got trapped under the debris, and rescue operations were launched immediately after the police received information about the incident.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaspal Singh said five bodies had been recovered from the debris, and 29 injured individuals were rushed to AIIMS Bathinda and hospitals in Muktsar.
Rescue teams were still on the scene, working to clear the rubble and search for survivors, if any.
The exact cause of the blast is being worked out, but initial investigation suggests that the blast occurred from potash used in manufacturing crackers.
Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Abhijit Kaplish told the media that no permission was granted to the manufacturing unit under the Explosives Rules of 2008.
“An application was made by the owners, but reports from different departments were pending, so no permission was granted,” he clarified.
Scattered shoes, broken glass panes and vehicles were seen all over the accident spot, as rescuers were sifting through the rubble in search of survivors.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal has demanded a probe into the incident and urged the government to promptly release adequate compensation to the victims’ families.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Khudian said the factory owner is a supporter of the AAP, but that does not permit anyone to engage in illegal activity.
“The law will take its own course,” he added.
In 2020, a total of 23 people were killed and 27 were injured in the explosion in an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Punjab’s Batala town. It was manufacturing and storing crackers for a ‘nagar kirtan’ — a religious procession relating to the birth anniversary celebrations of Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak Dev.
A similar blast occurred in Batala in January 2017, leaving one person dead and three injured.
Crime
Newlywed poisons husband, 3 family members in Maharashtra Jalgaon

Jalgaon, Oct 11: A shocking incident has come to light in Maharashtra Jalgaon district, where a newlywed woman attempted to kill her husband and three members of his family by mixing rat poison into their food just two days after their wedding, officials said on Sunday.
Police have arrested two women, including the bride, who were allegedly attempting to flee after the incident. The case came to light after the affected family members fell ill, prompting police to launch an investigation into the suspected poisoning and the circumstances surrounding the women’s disappearance.
The incident took place in Velhane village in Parola taluka of Jalgaon district. According to officials, the couple got married on October 7, and the alleged poisoning occurred on October 9, the third day of their wedding celebrations.
Police said the bride allegedly mixed rat poison into the food prepared for her husband and his family members. After the food was consumed, she reportedly left the house with another woman, taking some jewellery and the money received during the wedding with her.
The incident came to light when members of the family began experiencing health problems after consuming the food. The elders of the house were subsequently admitted to a government hospital in Dhule for treatment, officials said.
After receiving information about the suspected poisoning, police reached the spot and initiated an investigation into the incident.
The incident triggered anger among the family members and local residents, who gathered outside the police station and blocked the road. They demanded that the two women be arrested and that appropriate charges be filed against them.
The police intensified their efforts to locate the accused. The two women, who were allegedly trying to escape, were eventually detained near Nimgul village in Dhule district, officials said.
After their arrest, preliminary details emerged about the accused women’s backgrounds. Police found that the bride, identified as Suman Subhash Sahni, was a resident of Jharkhand. The other woman, identified as Aarti Suryaksh Patel, was also reportedly from Jharkhand.
It was also reported that the man had married Suman after paying Rs 2.5 lakh.
Police are investigating the allegations and gathering further details to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.
Crime
Gujarat Police nab three more accused in Punjab’s Mad Sandhu murder case

Ahmedabad/Valsad, Oct 11: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Valsad Special Operations Group (SOG) have arrested three men wanted in connection with the murder of social media influencer and makeup artist Madhu Sudan Singh alias Mad Sandhu, who was shot dead in Punjab Amritsar earlier this month.
The three accused, identified as Harsimranjit Singh alias Simu Singga, Fateh Singh and Arman Singh, were detained in Vapi in Valsad district following a joint operation by the state police units.
According to the Gujarat ATS, Mad Sandhu was shot dead by two unidentified persons near a car washing centre on Lorahka Road in Amritsar on October 3.
“A case was subsequently registered at Cantonment Police Station in Amritsar City,” officials said.
The ATS received information about the suspects from senior officials of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) in Punjab, who shared details of the case with their counterparts in Gujarat.
Following instructions from senior officers, an investigation was initiated under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (SP) K. Siddharth, with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Harsh Upadhyay and Police Inspector Krupesh Patel leading the investigation.
The inquiry revealed that the three men allegedly involved in the murder were in Vapi.
Harsimranjit Singh, Fateh Singh, and Arman Singh, are all originally from Sange village under Sadar Police Station in Tarn Taran district of Punjab.
Given the possibility that the suspects could leave the area, the ATS shared their profiles, location details and other relevant information with the Valsad SOG.
Police Inspector D.D. Parmar and his team subsequently detained all three men in Vapi.
A Gujarat ATS team comprising Police Inspector J.N. Chavda, Police Sub-Inspector M.L. Solanki, Police Sub-Inspector K.R. Patel, Police Sub-Inspector V.B. Khant and other personnel then brought them to the ATS office for questioning.
“During interrogation, investigators gathered details about the alleged roles of the three accused in the murder, the reconnaissance conducted before the shooting and other aspects of the case,” the ATS said.
The Punjab Police was subsequently informed of their detention.
On October 10, a Punjab Police team arrived at the Gujarat ATS office, took custody of the three accused and transported them to Punjab for further legal proceedings.
The investigation into the murder is being pursued by the Punjab Police.
Earlier, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested Parminder Prasad alias Parminder Kaka, the alleged main shooter in the murder, in the Vadaj area of Ahmedabad on October 8, following an input from the Amritsar Police.
According to Crime Branch officials, Parminder allegedly opened fire on Mad Sandhu and arranged the motorcycle used in the attack.
Punjab Police subsequently took him to Amritsar for further investigation, while investigators were also probing the suspected links of the killing with the network of foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon.
Crime
NCB seizes 53 kg drugs worth Rs 43 crore in Guwahati, arrests two

Guwahati, Oct 11: The NCB arrested two drug traffickers and seized 53.937 kg of Methamphetamine/WY Tablets, suspected to be originating from Myanmar and valued at approximately Rs 43 crore in the illicit market, in Guwahati, an official said on Sunday.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Guwahati, achieved a significant breakthrough on October 6 in its sustained campaign against organised narcotics trafficking with the help of an intelligence input, said an official statement.
Officers of the NCB intercepted two trucks and subjected them to intensive and systematic searches and detected specially fabricated concealed cavities inside the fuel tanks of both vehicles, it said.
The tanks were ingeniously modified to facilitate the clandestine transportation of narcotics and evade detection by enforcement agencies, it said.
The operation led to the recovery of the contraband and the on-the-spot arrest of two drug traffickers, both residents of Bishnupur, Manipur, it said, adding that the investigation indicated that the seized consignment originated from Myanmar.
The seizure has disrupted a major trafficking attempt, and the investigation is being pursued to identify the international suppliers, domestic receivers, financiers, transporters, handlers and other associates involved, with the objective of tracing the entire supply chain and dismantling the network in its entirety, said the NCB.
Meanwhile, under the special “Absconder Drive Fortnight” aimed at apprehending accused persons wanted in various NDPS cases, the NCB Guwahati apprehended six key accused, said the NCB.
Of those arrested, two are residents of Assam, while one each hails from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura. The apprehensions mark a significant step towards bringing persons evading the legal process to justice, said the NCB.
The focused drive underscores NCB’s resolve to pursue wanted accused beyond geographical boundaries and strengthen investigations and prosecution through sustained follow-up in pending NDPS cases.
The NCB’s enforcement strategy in Assam and the North Eastern Region goes beyond individual seizures, focusing on identifying and dismantling the entire drug trafficking network, including international sources, transit routes, financiers, logistics providers, distributors and key operators, said the statement.
Recognising the organised and cross-border nature of drug trafficking, the NCB continues to strengthen intelligence sharing and coordinated action with State Police, ANTFs, Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF, SSB, Customs, DRI, NIA, ED and other agencies to target trafficking networks and their financial and logistical infrastructure, it said.
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