Ramol Factory Blast: Two Operators Sent to 7-Day Police Remand Over Illegal Firework Unit Explosion That Killed 10

A local judicial court in Ahmedabad on Monday remanded two operators of an illegal firework factory to seven days of police custody, following a massive blast over the weekend that claimed the lives of 10 innocent labourers, including four minors. The tragedy unfolded on Saturday afternoon around 3.30 pm inside a makeshift factory running without valid permits in an agricultural field in the Vastral Gam area.

The Ramol Police arrested the key accused, identified as Mehul Bhailalbhai Dodiya, a resident of Lambha, and Sadikali Badamiya Syed. A third accused, a woman named Ramilaben Dodiya, sustained injuries in the blast and is currently undergoing treatment at the LG Hospital. Police confirmed she will be produced in court once doctors discharge her.

Police Demand Extensive Custody to Unearth Raw Material Supply Chain

Investigating Officer and Ramol Police Station Inspector, V.D. Damor, produced both arrested accused before Additional Judicial Magistrate D.R. Thakkar at the Gha Kanta court, seeking a 14-day remand.
Arguing for the state, Public Prosecutor Bharat Barot detailed how the accused bypassed municipal and police authorities to set up the unauthorised hazardous unit purely for financial gain. The site housed large quantities of volatile chemical compounds, including potassium nitrate, which triggered the deadly explosion.

"We need to investigate the source of these explosive materials and identify the suppliers," Public Prosecutor Barot argued in court. "There is an urgent need to uncover who else is partnered in this illegal operation and who provided the financial backing."

The prosecution further emphasized that police custody is vital to reconstruct the crime scene, locate hidden stockpiles of explosives, and recover the mobile phones of the accused to analyse call data records. Investigators are also looking into whether the operators ran similar illegal manufacturing units in other parts of the city.

Accused are Habitual Offenders, Court Told

During the hearing, a startling revelation emerged regarding the track record of the accused. The court was informed that the injured accused, Ramilaben Dodiya, was involved in a similar industrial disaster in 2014. A fire at her previous fireworks unit had resulted in the death of a labourer.

Despite past enforcement actions and official orders to shut down operations, the accused allegedly revived the illegal business without securing any safety permissions or licences.

The prosecution argued that the operators showed a complete disregard for human life and legal compliance, failing to maintain any official register of the raw materials used or the labourers employed at the site.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Magistrate D.R. Thakkar granted a 7-day police remand to allow for a thorough investigation into the systemic lapses and criminal negligence that led to the tragedy.