Ahmedabad firecracker blast: Illegal structures demolished, 9 dead
Synopsis
Nine workers are dead after a firecracker factory in Ahmedabad's Vastral village exploded — and the unit was running on an expired licence, reportedly rushing to fill Ganesh festival orders. Authorities have now demolished the illegal structures, arrested three people including the factory operator, and formed an SIT. The blast is exposing how dangerously under-regulated the city's informal firecracker belt really is.
Key Takeaways
An explosion at New Gujarat Fire Works , Vastral village, Ahmedabad , killed 9 workers and seriously injured 6 others on Saturday .
Illegal structures at the blast site were demolished on Sunday under orders from Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut .
The factory was allegedly operating on an expired licence and had resumed production for Ganesh festival orders.
Three people arrested: factory operator Ramila Dodia , her son Mehul Dodia , and partner Sadiq Saiyed .
A 3-member SIT headed by DCP Mayur Patil has been formed and must submit a progress report within 10 days .
Police, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation , and the Fire Department are inspecting and sealing other unauthorised firecracker units across the city.
Authorities on Sunday, 20 July demolished illegally constructed structures at the Ahmedabad firecracker factory where a Saturday explosion killed nine workers and left six others seriously injured, as police escalated their crackdown on unauthorised firecracker manufacturing units across the city. The blast at New Gujarat Fire Works on Ramol-Gatrad Road, behind the Rapid Action Force (RAF) camp in Vastral village, is being described as one of the deadliest industrial accidents in Ahmedabad in recent years.
Demolition and Immediate Action
The demolition was carried out under the jurisdiction of Ramol Police Station, acting on the directions of Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, Joint Police Commissioner (Sector-2) Jaipal Singh Rathore, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-8) Mayur Patil. An official police statement confirmed that legal demolition proceedings had been formally initiated against the unauthorised structure. Authorities added that inspections and action against other illegally operating firecracker factories across the city are currently underway.
What Triggered the Blast
According to investigators, the New Gujarat Fire Works unit had been operating despite its licence having expired and not being renewed. The factory had reportedly resumed firecracker manufacturing in recent weeks to fulfil orders ahead of the upcoming Ganesh festival. The explosion triggered a large-scale rescue operation involving police, RAF personnel, and the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services.
Arrests and Legal Proceedings
Police have arrested three individuals: factory operator Ramila Dodia, her son Mehul Dodia, who allegedly managed day-to-day operations, and their alleged partner Sadiq Saiyed. A case has been registered at Ramol Police Station under Sections 105, 287, 288 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 5(A) and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and Section 9(B) of the Explosives Act, 1884. Investigators are also examining the roles of other individuals linked to the unit, including the source of explosives and compliance failures.
SIT Formed, Multi-Agency Probe Launched
The city police commissioner constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by DCP Mayur Patil, with ACP Y.A. Gohil and Ramol Police Inspector V.D. Mori as members. The SIT has been directed to conduct a comprehensive investigation in coordination with the Forensic Science Laboratory, explosives experts, the Fire Department, the Labour Department, and other agencies, and to submit a progress report within 10 days.
Broader Crackdown Underway
Since the blast, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, police, and the Fire Department have jointly been conducting inspections in the city's peripheral areas, identifying and sealing unauthorised units. This sweep signals a wider regulatory reckoning — Ahmedabad's unregulated firecracker belt has long operated in a grey zone ahead of festival seasons, with enforcement typically reactive rather than preventive. The SIT's findings are expected to determine whether systemic failures in licensing oversight contributed to the tragedy.
Point of View
Yet it was running and taking orders. That points to a breakdown not just at the operator level but in the municipal and police inspection chain. The SIT's 10-day deadline is tight; the real question is whether its remit extends to the officials who should have caught this unit long before the explosion. Reactive demolitions and arrests are the easy part — systemic accountability is the harder test Gujarat's administration now faces.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Ahmedabad firecracker factory?
An explosion at the New Gujarat Fire Works unit on Ramol-Gatrad Road in Vastral village, Ahmedabad killed 9 workers and seriously injured 6 others . The factory was allegedly operating on an expired licence and had resumed production to meet orders for the upcoming Ganesh festival.
Who has been arrested in connection with the Ahmedabad blast?
Police have arrested three people: factory operator Ramila Dodia , her son Mehul Dodia who allegedly managed the unit, and their alleged partner Sadiq Saiyed . Investigators are also examining the roles of others linked to the factory's operations.
What legal sections have been invoked in the firecracker blast case?
A case has been registered under Sections 105, 287, 288 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Sections 5(A) and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and Section 9(B) of the Explosives Act, 1884, at Ramol Police Station.
What is the SIT formed to investigate the Ahmedabad blast?
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, headed by DCP Mayur Patil , with ACP Y.A. Gohil and Inspector V.D. Mori as members. The SIT will work with forensic, explosives, fire, and labour department experts and must submit a progress report within 10 days .
What broader action is being taken against illegal firecracker units in Ahmedabad?
Since the blast, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation , police, and the Fire Department have been conducting joint inspections in peripheral areas of the city, identifying and sealing unauthorised firecracker manufacturing units. The crackdown is ongoing alongside the SIT investigation.
