In a landmark move, the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday converted a writ petition related to the devastating Deesa fireworks factory explosion into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The blast, which occurred on April 1, 2025, in Banaskantha district, claimed 21 lives.
The division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi (sitting as Justice D.N. Ray) passed the order in Special Criminal Application No. 15033 of 2025, transferred from the Supreme Court on September 26, 2025. The Supreme Court had noted that the petition primarily sought relief against the State of Gujarat and its agencies.
The explosion took place at an illegal fireworks manufacturing facility consisting of six warehouses on Deesa&rsquo;s outskirts. The original petition was filed by advocate Utkarsh Dave, through advocates Ronith Joy and Mehul Dhonde, on behalf of victim Chandar Singh Nayak and other affected families.
Key demands in the petition include:
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₹2 crore compensation for the families of each of the 21 deceased workers
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A court-monitored investigation by police from outside Gujarat
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<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1432" data-end="1556">
Accountability and departmental action against public officials allegedly negligent in preventing the illegal operations
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</ul>
Upon converting the petition into a PIL, the High Court re-titled it as: &ldquo;In re: Deesa fire tragedy occurred on 01.04.2025 in an illegal firecracker manufacturing facility comprising six warehouses in Deesa, District Banaskantha.&rdquo;
The court has instructed the petitioner&rsquo;s counsel to file a fresh memo within three days, including necessary parties such as the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Director of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), and the Director of Fire Services, Gujarat. Advance service of the petition on the standing counsel for GPCB and other respondents has also been ordered.
The next hearing is scheduled for November 25, 2025, where arguments are expected on interim relief and the formation of an independent probe. Families of the victims, mostly migrant workers from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, continue to demand fair compensation and a transparent investigation, raising concerns over possible collusion between local authorities and the factory owners.
The conversion into a PIL expands judicial scrutiny and allows the court to examine systemic issues, including illegal firecracker units, regulatory lapses, and occupational safety in hazardous industries across Gujarat.

Gujarat HC Converts Deesa Blast Case into PIL

High Court expands probe into Deesa fireworks tragedy, seeks compensation & accountability

Gujarat HC Converts Deesa Blast Case into PIL

High Court expands probe into Deesa fireworks tragedy, seeks compensation & accountability

November 19, 2025 | 17:35 IST