At least two people were burned to death and two others critically injured in an explosion at a gunpowder manufacturing unit in Rajasthan Nagaur district on Thursday morning.

The blast occurred at around 9:40 a.m. in the Badli area, triggering fears that more workers could still be trapped inside the premises. The explosion was so powerful that its sound was heard nearly half a kilometre away, triggering panic among local residents.

Police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations. According to preliminary information, the warehouse belongs to a person identified as Amin.

The exact cause of the explosion has not yet been ascertained. More details and the official version are awaited.

Two young men died on the spot, while two others were found critically injured during the rescue operation. Their identities have not yet been established.

A stock of finished firecrackers was also found in one section of the warehouse where the explosion occurred. Local residents said gunpowder is manufactured at the facility by mixing potassium nitrate.

Soon after receiving information about the incident, fire brigade teams and Kotwali police rushed to the spot. Firefighters immediately launched efforts to bring the blaze under control, while police personnel took charge of relief and rescue operations.

According to preliminary information, a fire broke out among firecrackers and quickly intensified, eventually triggering a massive explosion. More casualties and extensive property damage are feared in the incident.

Meanwhile, official confirmation regarding the exact cause of the explosions, the identities of those feared dead, and the extent of the damage is still awaited.

Locals said that the owner has a valid permanent licence for firecracker-related activities. However, there is no official information yet about the authorised storage capacity under the licence or the exact quantity of firecrackers and potassium nitrate stored at the premises.

Rescue teams are trying to establish how many workers were present inside the warehouse when the explosion occurred. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more casualties as search and rescue operations continue.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) National Spokesperson Umesh Patil on Wednesday flagged concerns over the merger of NCP and NCP-SP, saying no one speaks about which faction’s candidates be fielded during elections and also the choice of office bearers in case the factions are united.

Speaking to media, Patil acknowledged that circumstances have certainly changed after the passing away of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister late Ajit Pawar, who was also the NCP Chief.

However, he said that the current NCP Chief Sunetra Pawar is effectively handling the role of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and strengthening the organisation.

Noting that the news of NCP’s merger keep resurfacing every now and then, the NCP Spokesperson said: “But if there is to be a merger, how exactly will it happen? In Maharashtra, there are 78 organisational districts. Both factions of NCP have 78 district presidents. If a merger takes place, whose district president will remain in office and who will be removed? How will those removed be accommodated? What formula will be followed?”

Umesh Patil recalled that in the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, both factions of the NCP had contested against each other in almost every constituency, while saying: “Those who won are confident that they will receive the party ticket in 2029. Even those who lost believe they will get another opportunity from their faction. But if the two parties become one, then what will the defeated candidates think?”

“The winning candidate will obviously be given the ticket again, and preparations are already underway. The others may have no other option except to leave the party,” he added.

Expressing concern, the NCP leader said that while everyone talks about a merger, no one explains how it will actually be implemented.

“What will happen to leaders, their workers, and their supporters? In the same constituency, these people have been fighting against each other,” Patil added.

Citing an example, the NCP spokesperson said: “In Islampur, Jayant Patil won from the NCP-SP faction, while our candidate, Nishikant Patil, lost by around 12,000 to 13,000 votes. He is already preparing for the next election. If the parties merge, that seat will naturally go to Jayant Patil. Then what will Nishikant Patil do? How will we ensure justice for him after a merger? What options will remain for him?”

Adding to his concern, Patil said that even if such adjustments can be made in a few places, how can this be managed across in every district, every Assembly constituency, and every Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, where the two factions are essentially each other’s opposition?

He also questioned that who will become the Maharashtra NCP President in case of a merger, while also questioning the future roles of NCP-SP Chief Sharad Pawar and senior leaders like Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar.

“Will it be someone from the trumpet (NCP-SP) faction or the clock faction (NCP)? What will happen to the position of national president? What role will Pawar ‘Saheb’ (Sharad Pawar) play? What role will Supriya Sule play? What about Rohit Pawar? There are many such issues,” Patil said.

Meanwhile, NCP MP and party’s Maharashtra unit president Sunil Tatkare on Monday clarified that the issue of party merger is completely closed, emphasising that the party’s primary focus is on strengthening its organisation and working collectively under the leadership of party president and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar.

Mumbai: Addressing a press conference held at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Abu Asim Azmi—the Maharashtra State President of the Samajwadi Party and a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)—sharply criticized the central government’s proposed ‘Uniform Civil Code’ (UCC). He alleged that the UCC bill is not, in fact, a ‘Uniform Civil Code,’ but rather a ‘Control Code’ imposed by the government. During the press conference, Azmi questioned the deadline set for submitting objections and suggestions regarding the UCC bill. He argued that the current deadline—November 15—is insufficient and demanded that it be extended. Commenting further on the process, Azmi noted that citizens are being asked about their caste and religion when submitting their suggestions. Moreover, he pointed out that the questions included in the process are framed inappropriately. It is due to these irregularities and flawed methods that committee member Ashish Chauhan has resigned from the committee. Accusing the government of employing double standards regarding civil rights, Azmi stated, “When it comes to civil rights, the government is focusing its actions solely on matters related to religion.”