Bhiwadi DST dissolved after probe implicates 5 cops in factory blast

Alwar: Collusion among police personnel has emerged in the business of illegal manufacturing of firecrackers that led to deaths of seven labourers in a blast at a factory in Khushkheda, located in the Khairthal-Tijara district. In response to the findings, Khairthal-Tijara SP Manish Chaudhary Wednesday announced the dissolution of the district special team (DST) of Bhiwadi police, implicating five cops in the case.The DST in-charge, Mukesh Verma, along with four other policemen, has been reassigned to the police line amid an escalating investigation into their conduct. Sanjay Meena has been appointed as the new Tapukada police station house officer (SHO) in place of Verma.
The legal proceedings also progressed as the Khushkheda police presented the two main accused, Hemant Sharma and Abhinandan Tiwari, before the Tijara court Wednesday, which remanded both to four days of police custody. The incident occurred on Feb 16 when a catastrophic fire erupted in the Khushkheda industrial area, claiming the lives of seven workers and severely injuring four others who have since been referred to AIIMS, Delhi. The factory had been operating without proper authorisation, designated for garment production, and had instead been manufacturing firecrackers.During the investigation, the name of Hemant Kumar Sachdeva, identified as a partner of the factory owner, has also emerged.Investigators are particularly scrutinising the conduct of the DST, including head constable Yogesh Sharma, who is the brother of Hemant Sharma, the factory operator. Adding to the concerns of possible police collusion, it has been revealed that Mukesh Verma and Yogesh Sharma resided together in a flat owned by the factory owner's wife, raising serious questions about their conduct and complicity in the illegal enterprise. Jaipur Range IG Raghavendra Suhas initiated action, commissioning a comprehensive investigation at his level. As a result, the entire Bhiwadi DST team, including constables Dinesh Kumar and Jagpal, has been subjected to scrutiny. The factory associated with the tragedy had been operating illegally, initially registered for a garment factory or general unit but instead was manufacturing explosives. In a related investigation, additional illegal firecracker manufacturing operations were discovered in proximity to the original site Tuesday. A forensic team from the home department sealed the factory following inspections, revealing significant quantities of firecracker materials and machinery that were likely connected to the same criminal network.