AHMEDABAD: The tragic blast at an illegal firecracker godown-cum-factory in Deesa GIDC, North Gujarat, which claimed the lives of 21 workers from Harda, Madhya Pradesh, has raised serious concerns about a deeper, possibly well-connected illegal network. Was this merely a tragic accident, or does it expose a larger nexus between the operators of the ill-fated Harda firecracker factory—where a similar explosion killed 13 and injured 200 in December 2024—and the Deesa unit, which allegedly continued illegal operations at the cost of innocent lives?
A Sinister Relocation?
Speculation is growing that operations from the now-defunct Harda factory—which suffered a devastating fire last year—were shifted to Deesa in Gujarat. All 21 victims, including eight children, had arrived from Harda just two days before the blast.
Investigators are probing whether Rajesh Agarwal, linked to the Harda factory, collaborated with Deepak Traders proprietors—Deepak and Khoobchand Mohanani, who had been running illegal operations undetected for 18 years.
‘No Idea How Licence Was Procured’
Vipul Barot, Deesa mamlatdar and complainant in the case, confirmed that Deepak Traders had been involved in firecracker manufacturing and sales for nearly two decades, yet there is no clarity on how or when they obtained and renewed their licence.
Meanwhile, Congress has alleged that Rajesh Agarwal visited Gujarat just days before his bail expires on April 14. Seva Dal president Lalji Desai claimed, “Agarwal has been out on bail for the last five and a half months. People in Deesa believe he partnered in setting up this unit after the Harda factory was shut down following the deadly explosion.”
He further alleged that Agarwal had political ties, stating: “There is information that he is connected to the son of a top Gujarat politician. How did explosives arrive at a unit with no valid licence? The link between the Harda and Deesa factories must be thoroughly investigated.”
FIR Revelations: A Death Trap in the Making
According to the FIR:
- Factory owners Deepak and Khoobchand Mohanani strictly instructed workers to keep the shutters closed at all times to avoid detection. This turned the unit into a suffocating death chamber—with no escape in case of a fire.
- Despite handling large quantities of firecrackers and highly inflammable materials, no firefighting equipment was installed.
- Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports confirmed that aluminium powder, a key firecracker ingredient, triggered the massive explosion and fire.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the victims from Dewas have been transported to Indore’s MY Hospital as investigations continue into one of Gujarat’s deadliest industrial disasters.
