Bawana fire: Court allows 5-day police custody of accused

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has sent the owner of the firecracker storage unit in Bawana area here, where 17 people were killed in a massive blaze, to five-day police custody.

Metropolitan Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh allowed the police custody of accused Manoj Jain, 49, who was arrested on January 21 in connection with the fire tragedy which took place on January 20.

A probe revealed it was a factory of "cold firecrackers" used in stage shows and Holi celebrations, the police had said.


The fire had started in the storage unit on the ground floor of the two-storey building and ripped through the structure. Of the 17 killed, ten were women. A man and woman were also injured.

Police said an FIR had been registered under Indian Penal Code sections relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible material. The maximum punishment under the sections is 10 years.