A day after the devastating fire at an illegal fireworks factory in Deesa, Banaskantha district, killed 21 workers, opposition leaders have alleged irregularities in handling the aftermath.
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil has accused authorities of attempting a cover-up and called for a probe by a sitting High Court judge. &ldquo;The factory had no permission to manufacture firecrackers, and even its storage license had not been renewed. Yet, illegal operations continued,&rdquo;&nbsp;Gohil stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Gohil also claimed that the bodies of the deceased were being sent from the hospital without proper identification and family consent. &ldquo;Before the families could gather, bodies were released arbitrarily with just one person&rsquo;s signature. This is inhumane,&rdquo;&nbsp;he alleged.
A team of Congress MLAs and leaders is expected to visit the site today. The party has demanded the immediate suspension of district officials if they are found to have issued misleading press statements.
&ldquo;The district administration says only storage was permitted. If so, why were workers from Madhya Pradesh brought in instead of hiring local labour?&rdquo;&nbsp;Gohil questioned, adding that the state government must provide &ldquo;generous compensation&rdquo;&nbsp;to the victims&rsquo;&nbsp;families.
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced ₹2 lakh ex-gratia for the families of deceased workers and ₹50,000 for the injured, as most victims were from the state. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has sent a ministerial team, led by Scheduled Caste Welfare Minister Nagar Singh Chouhan, along with senior police and administrative officials, to oversee relief efforts in Gujarat.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has pledged ₹4 lakh for the deceased&rsquo;s families and ₹50,000 for the injured, directing authorities to ensure proper medical care.

The blast flattened the firecracker warehouse

With death toll at 21, Shaktisinh Gohil demands a High Court-led probe, claims illegal factory ran without permits

Deesa Fire: Congress Alleges Cover-Up, Seeks Probe

With death toll at 21, Shaktisinh Gohil demands a High Court-led probe, claims illegal factory ran without permits

April 2, 2025 | 11:24 IST