MADURAI: In a series of crackdowns launched by teams of Virudhunagar district police on the illegal production of crackers and possession of materials that are prohibited from being used, as many as 201 violation cases were booked over the last three months, sources said on Sunday.

The Supreme Court in 2019 imposed a ban on the use of barium nitrate in fireworks and restricted the manufacture and sale of joint crackers.

The police also checked for unlawful storage of crackers in godowns without a valid license and unauthorised sale of material, which could be used for making crackers and violating license controls. Such checks were being routinely conducted by the police to enforce the court order. The number of cases booked against illegal production of crackers and other violations has risen from 177 in 2021 to 229 cases in 2022. It has further risen to 328 cases during last year. In the current year, the number of cases booked against illegal manufacturers has further increased to 356 by the end of October.

Police have requested the public to pass on any information on any such illegal activities.