Kaushambi firecracker blast: Accused Naushad arrested after police encounter
Synopsis
A day after a firecracker factory blast killed 11 in Kaushambi, the main accused Naushad was shot in the leg and arrested at 4 am after opening fire on a police team. An illegal pistol was recovered, two others are in custody, and the local SHO and two constables face action for failing to flag the unlicensed factory — raising sharp questions about how it operated undetected in a residential neighbourhood.
Key Takeaways
Factory operator Naushad was arrested on 1 September after a police encounter at around 4 am on Terah Mile-Syed Sarawan Road , Kaushambi .
Naushad allegedly opened fire on police; he was shot in the leg and taken to Manjhanpur District Hospital .
An illegal pistol was recovered from the accused; police are probing who sheltered him after the blast.
At least 11 people were killed and 5 injured in the 31 August firecracker factory explosion in Mahmadpur Manuri .
An FIR has been registered against 6 people under the Explosives Act and BNS ; two accused — Shabnam and Saina — are already in custody.
The Pipri SHO and beat constables Jitendra Kumar and Krishna Kumar face disciplinary action for failing to report the illegal factory's operation.
Factory operator Naushad, the main accused in the Kaushambi firecracker factory blast that killed at least 11 people on 31 August, was arrested following a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh in the early hours of Tuesday, 1 September. The arrest came after Naushad allegedly opened fire on a police team attempting to detain him, and was shot in the leg in return fire.
How the Arrest Unfolded
According to police, the operation was carried out around 4 am on Terah Mile-Syed Sarawan Road in the Charwa police station area of Kaushambi. Acting on a tip from a special informant that Naushad was attempting to flee the district, four police teams — formed on the orders of the Superintendent of Police — cordoned off the area.
Chief Inspector Shivank Singh said that upon finding himself surrounded, the accused fired at the police party with intent to kill. Officers returned fire in self-defence, striking Naushad in the leg. He was subsequently taken to Manjhanpur District Hospital for treatment. An illegal pistol was also recovered from his possession.
During preliminary interrogation, the injured man confirmed his identity as Naushad. Police are now investigating where he sheltered in the hours after the explosion and whether anyone aided his escape attempt.
The Blast That Triggered the Manhunt
On the afternoon of Monday, 31 August, a fire broke out at an unlicensed firecracker factory operating inside a residential house in Manuri Bazaar, Mahmadpur Manuri. The blaze triggered a chain of powerful explosions from stockpiled firecrackers, completely destroying the factory building and damaging approximately six adjoining houses.
At least 11 people were killed and five others were injured in the incident. Police and fire brigade units from Pipri and nearby stations reached the site to carry out rescue and relief operations. The scale of the destruction pointed to a large, unregulated stockpile of explosives within a densely populated residential area.
FIR and Other Arrests
A case has been registered against six individuals under serious charges, including Sections 105 and 288 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4, 5, and 9B of the Explosives Act. Two accused — Shabnam and Saina — were arrested and taken into custody for questioning. Police said efforts to apprehend the remaining accused are ongoing.
Officials Face Action Over Negligence
Authorities have also acted against local police personnel for dereliction of duty. The Pipri Station House Officer (SHO) and beat constables Jitendra Kumar and Krishna Kumar face disciplinary action for what officials described as 'gross negligence' in discharging their duties — specifically, for failing to register information about the illegal operation of the firecracker factory in a residential area. This points to a systemic failure of local oversight that allowed the unlicensed unit to function undetected.
Investigation Continues
Police and district administration teams are collecting evidence from the blast site and probing the exact cause of the fire. The focus now shifts to establishing the full supply chain behind the illegal factory — who supplied the raw materials, who had knowledge of the operation, and whether similar units exist elsewhere in the district. With Naushad in custody, investigators are expected to pursue leads on the broader network.
Point of View
Large enough to kill 11 people and level six homes, does not operate invisibly — and the disciplinary action against the local SHO and two beat constables confirms that official knowledge existed and was suppressed. This is not an isolated lapse; Uttar Pradesh has seen a pattern of unlicensed explosive-storage tragedies in residential clusters, where enforcement gaps and local complicity allow lethal operations to persist. The real accountability test is not whether Naushad is convicted, but whether the investigation maps the full network of suppliers, protectors, and officials who made the factory possible in the first place.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Naushad and why was he arrested in the Kaushambi blast case?
Naushad is the factory operator identified as the main accused in the illegal firecracker factory explosion in Mahmadpur Manuri, Kaushambi, on 31 August that killed at least 11 people. He was arrested on 1 September after a police encounter in which he allegedly fired at officers and was shot in the leg.
How many people died in the Kaushambi firecracker factory blast?
At least 11 people were killed and five others were injured when a fire triggered a series of explosions at an illegal firecracker factory operating inside a residential house in Manuri Bazaar on 31 August. The blast completely destroyed the factory building and damaged around six nearby houses.
What charges have been filed in the Kaushambi factory blast case?
An FIR has been registered against six people under Sections 105 and 288 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4, 5, and 9B of the Explosives Act. Two accused, Shabnam and Saina, have been arrested; Naushad was apprehended after the encounter on 1 September.
Why were local police officers punished in connection with the Kaushambi blast?
The Pipri SHO and beat constables Jitendra Kumar and Krishna Kumar face disciplinary action for gross negligence — specifically for failing to register or report information about the illegal firecracker factory operating in a residential area. Authorities said this dereliction allowed the unlicensed unit to function unchecked.
What is the current status of the Kaushambi blast investigation?
With Naushad in custody, police are investigating where he hid after the explosion and who assisted his escape. Efforts to arrest the remaining accused are ongoing, and investigators are collecting evidence from the blast site to establish the cause of the fire and the full network behind the illegal factory.
