The main accused in the deadly Dewas firecracker factory blast was arrested at Delhi airport after returning from China
May 21, 2026: The prime accused in the Dewas firecracker factory blast case, which killed six people and injured over 20 others in Madhya Pradesh earlier this month, was arrested at Delhi airport on Thursday after returning from China. The accused, Mukesh Vij, is a Delhi resident who allegedly operated firecracker factories in Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Police said Vij was in Guangzhou, China, at the time of the explosion.
According to Dewas Superintendent of Police Puneet Gehlot, a special police team arrested Vij at the airport after a nationwide Look Out Circular was issued against him. Another accused, Mahesh Chauhan from Uttarakhand, was also arrested in Delhi. Investigators said the Dewas factory had been registered under the name of Anil Malviya, but Vij allegedly controlled its operations and handled business orders.
Police investigations revealed that explosives were stored at the factory far beyond the permitted limit to fulfil large-scale orders. Earlier, Anil Malviya, Mohammad Ayaz and Kapil Vij had already been arrested in connection with the blast. Officials said the explosion was extremely powerful, with body parts reportedly found 20 to 25 feet away from the site. Police said further interrogation of Mukesh Vij is expected to reveal more details about the factory’s operations and safety violations.