An explosion at a suspected illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Mahilo village under Tirtol police station limits in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district killed a father and son and severely injured three others on Thursday afternoon, prompting a police probe into unlicensed explosive production inside a residential property.
The deceased were identified as 55-year-old Manoranjan Swain and his 25-year-old son, Soumya Swain. Manoranjan’s wife, Laxmipriya Swain, 52, relative Rajalaxmi Swain, 25, and government schoolteacher Rahul Raj Mohant, 28, suffered severe burn injuries in the blast.
The injured were initially taken to Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after their condition deteriorated. Police said Mohant had reportedly visited the house for lunch when the explosion occurred.
The force of the blast damaged portions of the house, including walls, doors and windows. Preliminary investigation indicates that family members were making firecrackers inside the premises when the explosion took place, according to police.
“We have found that the unit was operating illegally without any licence,” Ajaya Kumar Das, sub-divisional police officer of Tirtol, told the Times of India. Police seized a large quantity of firecrackers and explosive materials from the site, while samples were sent for forensic examination.
Police have registered a case under Sections 3 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators are examining the source of the explosive materials and the people involved in the operation.
The blast has also brought renewed attention to suspected illegal firecracker units in Mahilo and nearby villages. Several operators reportedly left their homes after the incident, fearing police action. Residents alleged that firecracker manufacturing had continued in and around the area for years despite safety concerns, although the allegations remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Police said the investigation would continue to establish how the materials reached the premises, identify other people connected with the suspected unit and determine the full circumstances leading to the explosion.
