A woman was blown into pieces and her husband is missing, feared dead, in an explosion at an illegal cracker manufacturing unit near Banamalipur, around 25km from here.

While the body of the woman identified as Laxmipriya Mishra, 34, has been found, police are yet to trace that of her husband Gyanendra, 40, who was running the unit without any licence. The fatal accident involving the illegal crackers unit has raised question over the police role in curbing such crime few days ahead of Diwali.

Residents of the village in Balipatna police limits said they heard an explosion around 12.10pm on Thursday and rushed to the spot. “The woman’s body parts were thrown to a distance. It was such a big explosion that a portion of concrete wall of the house was also blown away. Its roof crashed and the house immediately caught fire. We informed the police and fire tender,” said an eyewitness.

Gyanendra’s father, Nrusingha Mishra, who was lucky to leave the house few minutes before the explosion, suspected both of them being dead. “My son was manufacturing crackers, while my daughter-in-law was present on the spot when I left the house. I also used to manufacture crackers with licence. My son took up the job after I became old. The explosion was so severe that I strongly suspect that both of them are dead,” said Nrusingha. The police said the impact of the explosion was so severe that a crater was created on the spot.

However, the blast did not affect any of the fellow villagers as the house was located in an isolated place and no other houses are situated within 50ft radius of the affected house. The couple’s two daughters were also not present in the spot when the explosion took place.

“We were told that the family had been involved in crackers manufacturing for more than two decades. Villagers also claimed that the family had earlier faced two similar mishaps, including one in 2001 when Gyanendra’s elder brother lost his life. The debris of the mangled house has piled up, and we have roped in excavators to trace Gyanendra’s body,” said a police officer.

Deputy commissioner of police Anup Kumar Sahoo said the police stations concerned had been directed to crackdown on illegal crackers manufacturing units. “We will also raid the godowns used for storage of crackers and shops selling fireworks without police permission,” said Sahoo.

Sources said that not only the Mishras, but also a dozen of other families were involved in the manufacturing of firecrackers without licence at nearby Guapur village. “Most of us are aware of the Mishras manufacturing crackers for years. It is hard to believe that the nearest police outpost, located 2km away from the village, was not aware of the unit,” said another villager on condition of anonymity.