KOZHIKODE: The authorities have started clamping down on the cracker sales in the district and seized 2,600 kg of explosives from Koyilandy on Monday. The checks ahead of Vishu were intensified following the DGP’s order after the Puttingal temple fire tragedy.
As per the City Police Commissioner’s instructions, inspectors are carrying out intense checking at the cracker shops and loads coming from other states, especially Tamil Nadu’s Sivakasi.
A shop at Arangad near Koyilandy had a stock of 2,100 kg whereas it had the permission to keep only 350 kg. Another shop, also on the national highway, kept 500 kg, instead of the permitted 450 kg. The owners of both the shops, Chandran,67, Sreyas, Maloor, Koyilandy and Ajith, 55, Kaivattath house, Vadakara, were arrested.
They had kept huge quantities of explosives in their godowns also. There is a crowd in front of the revenue department office in Civil Station to renew their licences. There are already more than 300 licence holders in the district, who are permitted to sell crackers.
New retailers come up without licences. Some exceed the prescribed limit of explosives. One man was arrested on Sunday for illegally keeping crackers in his shop exceeding the limit.
