‘Explosives stored illegally,’ Sarpanch alerted 2 months ago

Indore: Two months before the deadly firecracker factory explosion in Dewas claimed five lives, the sarpanch of Kalma village had alerted local authorities about illegal storage of explosives and firecrackers inside a warehouse located barely 1 km from the blast site which was being operated by Anil Malviya.

A handwritten complaint addressed to tehsildar on March 16 has now surfaced, raising serious questions over administrative inaction despite prior warnings about the potential danger. The letter was written by Kalma Sarpanch Kavita Rajendra Gaud, just two days after a fire incident was reported at the same warehouse.

In the complaint, the Sarpanch stated that explosive material, including gunpowder and firecrackers, was allegedly being stored illegally inside a warehouse situated along the highway near residential houses and a petrol pump. She warned that the premises, originally meant for grain storage, had become a safety hazard for villagers and cautioned that a major accident could occur if the explosives were not removed immediately.

Speaking to TOI, Rajendra Gaud said that the accused were allegedly not only storing explosives but were also preparing firecrackers at the location. “They required an NOC from the village panchayat, but even after it was refused, they managed to obtain permission from district administration. Two days before the complaint was submitted, a fire had already broken out at the warehouse,” he said.

Despite the warning and the earlier fire incident, no major action appears to have been initiated against the operators. Sources said the accused factory operator had allegedly converted the warehouse into an illegal storage facility for gunpowder and firecrackers instead of using it for grain storage.