After DGP RP Sharma issued instructions to take stringent action against illegal cracker manufacturing units, two persons were held and a huge cache of explosive materials used in cracker manufacturing were seized by police in Jeypore Sasan village in Pipili on Sunday night.
Sources said local police raided a house and seized crackers and explosives worth Rs 10 lakh. The detainees have been identified as Santosh Sahu and Swahin Sahu. Though two cracker units have been granted licence in Pipili by the Fire Brigade, more than 20 cracker manufacturing units are operating in Pipili violating the norms.
On October 18, a minor girl was killed while four others were injured critically in an explosion while manufacturing crackers at Bilipada near Pipili.