Panic gripped Kanpur on Wednesday night after a powerful explosion ripped through a crowded marketplace near a mosque, injuring at least eight people, police said.

The blast occurred around 7:30 p.m. in the Mishri Bazaar area, a densely populated neighborhood about 500 meters from the Marqaz Mosque. Two scooters parked near the marketplace exploded within seconds of each other, sending shockwaves through the busy street filled with evening shoppers, officials said.

Eyewitnesses reported scenes of chaos as people ran for safety and nearby shop fronts were damaged by the force of the explosion. The injured, including a woman, were rushed to a local hospital. Four of them, said to be in critical condition, were later referred to a medical facility in Lucknow for advanced treatment.

Police immediately cordoned off the area, while forensic experts, bomb disposal personnel, and members of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrived at the scene to determine the cause of the explosion.

Initial reports suggested that the blast might have been caused by a crude explosive device. However, Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order) Ashutosh Kumar later said that the explosion appeared to have resulted from illegal firecrackers stored in one of the scooters.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that there was no high-grade explosive involved,” Kumar said. “The forensic team has collected samples, and evidence points toward firecrackers stored illegally for sale in the area.”

Authorities said a number of nearby shops sustained damage, but there were no fatalities. The entire area remained sealed off through the night as investigators examined debris and reviewed CCTV footage from the market.

Officials confirmed that a probe has been launched into the source of the fireworks and whether any safety norms were violated. The incident has renewed concerns over illegal firecracker markets that often operate in densely populated parts of Uttar Pradesh despite periodic police crackdowns.