PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 1 -- Monday's deadly explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Chilla Shahbazi village on the Manjhanpur-Manauri road was far from an isolated incident in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district. The district has witnessed several blasts at illegal firecracker units over the years, repeatedly claiming lives and raising questions over enforcement against the illicit trade.

The latest blast occurred nearly two years after a powerful explosion at a firecracker factory in Bharwari in 2024 that claimed 13 lives. The Bharwari incident itself followed an earlier blast at a firecracker unit in the area. Despite such incidents, another illegal unit continued to operate, highlighting alleged lapses in checking the manufacture and ...