Haridwar, Oct. 11 -- Haridwar police on Friday unearthed an illegal firecracker manufacturing and storage unit at Imlikheda village in the Piran Kaliyar area, In a major crackdown ahead of Diwali. Senior officials said firecrackers worth around Rs.16 lakh were seized from the premises, which was operating without any legal permit or safety clearance. According to SSP Pramendra Dobhal, the raid was carried out following a specific intelligence input about large-scale stocking and sale of firecrackers from a private residence. "A special police team was formed to verify the information and take immediate action. Tehsildar Roorkee, Vikas Awasthi, was also informed and joined the operation," the SSP said. The team recovered 35 caskets filled with assorted firecrackers stored in two rooms of the house. The accused, identified as Shubham Pal, failed to produce any licence, official documents, or clearance from the Fire Safety Department. "The estimated value of the seized firecrackers in the open market is approximately Rs.16 lakh. The accused was operating the unit illegally, posing a serious fire hazard, especially ahead of the festive season," said Dobhal....