Deadly Siwan blast puts state’s illegal cracker network under fresh scrutiny

Patna: The deadly firecracker explosion in Siwan has once again put Bihar’s hidden and potentially lethal cracker-making network under the scanner. Five people were killed and three others injured after firecrackers stored in a house at Alampur village under Jamo Bazar police station caught fire on Friday, triggering explosions that continued for hours.The Siwan blast is particularly alarming as the district witnessed a similar incident just nine months earlier. On Jan 22, 2026, a blast occurred inside a house in Bargam village under Hussainganj police station where firecrackers were allegedly being manufactured illegally. A 50-year-old man, Murtazza Ansari, was killed and three members of his family were injured.The problem is not confined to Siwan. On Sept 25, an explosion in Bhargama police station area of Araria district was found by police to have occurred during illegal firecracker manufacturing. Gunpowder reportedly exploded during the process, killing three people, including two women and a one-month-old child.The trail goes back further. In Oct 2025, a firecracker explosion in Ulhanpur village under Marhaura police station in Saran killed one person. In May 2024, a high-intensity blast at Motirajpur under Garkha police station in Saran killed Mohammad Imamuddin, an imam, and injured a 15-year-old boy. Police found indications of gunpowder or explosive material at the site.Official accident data also reflects the danger. The National Crime Records Bureau’s Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI) 2023 report recorded eight cases in Bihar under “Fire in Factory Manufacturing Combustible Materials Including Cracker/Match Box Factories”. The incidents left eight people dead and two injured. Bihar recorded the second-highest number of such cases after Tamil Nadu, while India recorded 52 cases.In 2022, Bihar recorded nine cases under the same category, resulting in one death and eight injuries. The NCRB figures, however, do not necessarily capture the total number of illegal firecracker units in the state.Bihar ADG (headquarters) Sunil Kumar said regular drives and inspections are conducted by police and local administration, particularly ahead of Diwali and New Year. “Only licensed firecracker units operating outside populated areas and complying with licence conditions are permitted. However, some people manufacture firecrackers secretly and illegally in their homes. Following the Siwan incident, SPs have been directed to conduct regular drives and inspections, especially in view of Diwali,” he told this newspaper on Saturday.In Oct 2025, Patna Police raided an alleged illegal firecracker factory in Taranagar village in Bihta and seized around 392kg of explosive material. Four people were arrested. Police recovered potassium, sulphur, charcoal powder, cracker shells and other materials used to manufacture firecrackers. The premises had reportedly witnessed an explosion in 2018 that injured two people and damaged part of the building.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Patna | Silver Rate in Patna | Bank Holidays in Patna | Public Holidays in Patna | Patna AQI | Weather in Patna | Petrol Price in Patna | Diesel Price in Patna | CNG Price in Patna | LPG Price in PatnaStay updated with the latest Patna news. Download the TOI App.