Gurdaspur, Oct 22: A late-night explosion during homemade cracker preparation left seven people injured, including two women, in Dharmadad village near Punjab’s Dera Baba Nanak on Tuesday.
According to officials, the villagers were mixing Gandhak-Potash powder, a volatile substance often used in firecracker production, when it suddenly exploded. “The blast was deafening. Several houses in the vicinity had their window panes shattered or cracked,” a police officer said, adding that mishandling such materials can easily lead to accidental explosions.
All seven injured were first taken to the local Civil Hospital in Dera Baba Nanak. “Given their serious condition, the doctors referred them to a private hospital in Amritsar for advanced treatment,” police mentioned.
SHO Ashok Sharma of Dera Baba Nanak police station led the team that inspected the site soon after the incident. “We have started investigating where the Gandhak-Potash powder was sourced from and whether the cracker-making activity was being carried out legally,” he noted.
The police said the situation in the village has since been brought under control, but warned residents against the unsafe use of explosive substances during Diwali preparations.
