Kolkata Police seize 110 kg banned firecrackers ahead of Kali Puja, teen arrested
Synopsis
Just days before Kali Puja, Kolkata Police discovered 110 kg of banned firecrackers stuffed into four cardboard boxes inside an abandoned building in a busy commercial area — and a 19-year-old is now in custody. Investigators suspect a larger illegal network may be behind the cache, raising the stakes for a city-wide crackdown before the festival.
Key Takeaways
Kolkata Police seized approximately 110 kg of banned firecrackers from an abandoned building at 1 NS Road , north Kolkata, on 29 October 2026 .
Suspect Mohammad Taufiq, 19 , was arrested at the scene and taken to Burrabazar police station .
The fireworks were packed in four large cardboard boxes and stored without any government licence or permit.
A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908 .
Police are probing whether the consignment is linked to a larger illegal fireworks network in the city.
Raids and checks are set to intensify across Kolkata ahead of Kali Puja .
Kolkata Police seized approximately 110 kg of banned firecrackers from an abandoned building on 1 NS Road in north Kolkata in the early hours of Thursday, 29 October 2026, arresting a 19-year-old youth ahead of Kali Puja. The raid, conducted by a team from Burrabazar police station, was triggered by a tip-off from confidential sources, according to a senior police officer.
How the Raid Unfolded
A patrol team led by Sub-Inspector Uttam Kumar Halder was conducting search operations in the NS Road area at around 1.45 am when it entered the abandoned structure. Officers discovered approximately 110 kg of prohibited fireworks packed inside four large cardboard boxes. The entire consignment was seized, and the suspect was detained on the spot before being taken to Burrabazar police station.
The arrested individual has been identified as Mohammad Taufiq, 19. A suo motu case has been registered against him for allegedly storing firecrackers without the required government licence or permit.
Legal Provisions Invoked
The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Preliminary investigations suggest the firecrackers were stored without any valid authorisation in what police described as a densely populated commercial locality — raising immediate concerns about the risk of an accidental fire or explosion.
What the Police Said
Additional Commissioner of Kolkata Police's Detective Department, Kunal Agarwal, said the force was making continuous efforts to prevent the entry of illegal firecrackers into the city. Investigators are now working to establish the source of the seized consignment and determine whether others were involved in its storage or distribution. Police are also examining whether the cache was linked to a larger illegal fireworks network operating across the city.
Festive Season Crackdown
This seizure comes as Kali Puja approaches — one of the biggest festivals in West Bengal, during which firecracker use typically surges. The Kolkata Police are expected to intensify raids and checks across the city to curb the storage and sale of prohibited fireworks and prevent safety incidents during the festive period. Notably, courts and environmental regulators have repeatedly flagged the dangers posed by banned firecrackers in densely populated urban areas, particularly around major festivals.
Point of View
Including the century-old Explosive Substances Act, reflects how little the regulatory toolkit has evolved even as illegal supply chains have grown more sophisticated. The real question investigators must answer is whether Taufiq was a lone storer or a low-level node in a wider distribution network; past crackdowns have frequently stopped at the foot soldier without dismantling the supply chain. Until enforcement moves upstream, seizures like this risk becoming annual ritual rather than structural deterrence.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Kolkata Police seize ahead of Kali Puja 2026?
Kolkata Police seized approximately 110 kg of banned firecrackers packed in four large cardboard boxes from an abandoned building at 1 NS Road in north Kolkata on 29 October 2026. A 19-year-old youth, Mohammad Taufiq, was arrested at the scene.
Who was arrested in the Kolkata firecracker raid?
The arrested individual is Mohammad Taufiq, aged 19. He has been charged with allegedly storing banned firecrackers without a government licence or permit, and a suo motu case has been registered against him.
What laws have been invoked in this case?
The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Both statutes cover the illegal storage and handling of explosive materials.
Why is the seizure significant ahead of Kali Puja?
Kali Puja is one of West Bengal's largest festivals and typically sees a sharp rise in firecracker use. The storage of 110 kg of banned fireworks in a densely populated commercial area raised serious concerns about the risk of accidental fire or explosion during the festive period.
Are police investigating a wider illegal fireworks network?
Yes. Investigators are working to trace the source of the seized consignment and determine whether others were involved in its storage or distribution. Police are also examining whether the cache is connected to a larger illegal fireworks network operating in Kolkata.
