New Delhi/Dewas, May 21 (IANS) In a major breakthrough in the Tonkkala firecracker factory blast case, Dewas police have arrested the main accused, Mukesh Vij, from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, an official said.

Vij was returning from Guangzhou, China, when the special police team nabbed him on Thursday morning using a Look Out Circular and other intelligence inputs.

A tragic incident recently occurred at a firecracker unit in Tonkkala area of Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas district, where a massive explosion and subsequent fire claimed the lives of more than five persons and left over twenty others injured.

The blast sent shockwaves across the district and triggered a sharp political confrontation between Congress and BJP leaders, with both sides trading allegations of negligence and lax enforcement of safety norms.

Following the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav directed formation of a special investigation team. Acting swiftly on his instructions, Dewas police constituted a dedicated squad to track down the culprits.

So far, five people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Apart from Mukesh Vij, police have also arrested a minor, Mahesh Chauhan, a resident of Uttarakhand, along with Anil, Mohammad Ayaz, and Kapil Vij.

SP Puneet Gehlod said that a special team of 13 officers was formed to investigate the matter thoroughly. The Madhya Pradesh government has announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased.

The entire operation is being monitored by senior officers including ADG Rakesh Gupta and Range IG Navneet Bhasin. Police officials stated that the investigation is being conducted in a scientific and professional manner.

They have assured that strict legal action will be taken against all those found guilty, irrespective of their position. Further probes are underway to determine the exact cause of the blast, lapses in safety protocols, and the full network behind the illegal operations at the unit.

–IANS

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