Police arrest owner of Gujarat firecracker factory where blast left 21 dead

Police on Tuesday arrested the owner of a godown near Deesa town in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, hours after a powerful blast and fire killed 21 persons there, officials said. Firecrackers were allegedly stored and manufactured illegally at the godown, they said.

The blast at the firecracker warehouse led to a blaze and collapse of the building in Gujarat's Banaskantha district.

Deepak Mohnani, who owns the godown, was arrested by a team of Banaskantha police from neighbouring Sabarkantha district on Tuesday night, Inspector General of Border Range Chirag Koradia said.

"We have arrested the main accused, Deepak Mohnani from a place in Sabarkantha," the Range IG told PTI. The warehouse - Deepak Traders - was owned by Deepak and his father Khubchand Mohnani, officials earlier said.

The explosion, which occurred approximately at 9.45 am, flattened the godown in an industrial area near Deesa town, around 30 km from the Banaskantha district headquarters.

"All the deceased persons were originally from Harda and Dewas districts of Madhya Pradesh," district collector Mihir Patel said. At least 21 persons, including children and women, were killed, while six others injured in the incident.

"The identity of 19 persons has been established, while DNA samples are being taken to identify two others," he said. The blast was so intense that it sent body parts of workers flying 200-300 metres away.

The impact brought down the RCC slab of the structure. Even family members of workers staying on the same premises were crushed to death after blocks of slabs fell on them, the collector said.