Policemen pour water on crackers amid crackdown at Pataudi Road, Gurgaon. (Express Photo)In the run-up to Diwali, Delhi-NCR saw a crackdown against sale of firecrackers at unlicensed units with at least 35 FIRs filed in the Capital and 41 cases registered in neighbouring Gurugram, as per officials.Major seizures in CapitalIn Delhi, at least 15,000 kg of illegal firecrackers were seized by the city police between October 1 and November 6, said sources.Based on these seizures, at least 35 FIRs were registered across the Capital under the Explosive Act of 1884, and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). One of the biggest seizures took place in North West Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh on October 24 when around 2,375 kgs of firecrackers were seized from a godown in Haiderpur village, which also included green crackers, said officials.Another large consignment was seized in Outer North Delhi with a total of 2,101 kg seized on October 2. Officers said that 1,350 kg of firecrackers were seized from two vehicles going to transport them. The arrested men led the police to a godown near the Jeet farmhouse in Alipur, where another 751 kg of firecrackers were recovered.Another major case, officers underlined, was reported from the North District where 10 FIRS were registered across Lahori Gate, Burari, Kotwali, Bara Hindu Rao and Subzi Mandi with a total of 1,074 kg of firecrackers seized, said officers.In one of the cases, the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch recovered 2,270 kg of “illegal firecrackers” from over 87 packages from two vehicles near Alipur. The packages were allegedly procured from Punjab for supply in the national capital.Also Read | Day before sales are allowed, Sadar Bazar’s firecracker trade already buzzingRaids in GurugramIn Gurugram, administrative teams registered over 41 FIRs across multiple sub-divisions and seized several quintals of crackers that flouted green certification norms or were sold outside designated zones.Enforcement drives spanned several sub-divisions.In Farrukhnagar, SDM Dinesh Kumar sealed two shops selling firecrackers outside prescribed standards, booked the owners, and confiscated 25 kilograms of stock. In Sohna, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Akhilesh Yadav oversaw inspections that led to two FIRs and the seizure of another 25 kg of crackers.Along Pataudi Road, SDM Hitendra Kumar intercepted 1.2 quintals or more than 100 kg of banned and non-green firecrackers being sold outside designated spots, destroying the entire haul on-site by soaking it in water, said officers.Meanwhile, in Sector 56, SDM Sanjeev Singla led raids in the local market area against unlicensed vendors, resulting in three FIRs.In parallel operations, Gurugram Police stepped up enforcement under the Explosives Act, deploying 53 special squads across police stations, ACP divisions, and DCP zones, in coordination with specialised Crime Branch units.According to Gurugram Police spokesperson ASI Sandeep Kumar, 36 cases were registered on November 5 alone, resulting in 23 individuals being arrested or joined into investigations. Police recovered a substantial volume of unauthorised fireworks during the raids, including sparklers, rockets, chakris, flower pots, and sutli bombs stored without valid licences.Authorities reiterated that strict surveillance will remain in place across wholesale markets and peripheral areas in the run up to the festival.Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers so... Read More Tags:Delhi news