Delhi: Shopkeeper carrying over 21 kg firecrackers arrested ahead of Diwali.
Ahead of Diwali, a 33-year-old Noida shopkeeper has been arrested from southeast Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin area for allegedly carrying 21.7 kg firecrackers in his vehicle despite a ban on their sale and bursting, police said on Sunday.
The vehicle used for carrying the firecrackers has also been seized from accused Heera Lal, who runs a shop at his native place in Noida, they said.
According to the police, Lal was arrested on Friday when a police team deployed on Lala Lajpat Rai Marg intercepted his vehicle after a brief chase and recovered the firecrackers weighing about 21.7 kg.
"When he was questioned about the firecrackers, he could not give any satisfactory response initially. During interrogation later, Lal disclosed that he had purchased the firecrackers to sell them at his shop at a higher price in order to earn quick money," said Esha Pandey, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast).
A case has been registered against Lal under section 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act at Hazrat Nizamuddin police station, she said.
On September 28, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had ordered a complete ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1 next year.
