A crude bomb went off at a Trinamool Congress leader’s house in Basirhat district of West Bengal, triggering panic in the area. At 6 pm on Wednesday, relatives came to visit the house of a Trinamool leader, Abul Hossain Gayen. His eight-year-old niece Jhuma Khatun, a Class 2 student, was killed on the spot when she was playing with a bomb in a haystack.
Following the incident, a huge police force led by Basirhat Additional Superintendent of Police Soutam Banerjee, and officers Aminul Islam and Siddhartha Mondal rushed to the spot.
The child’s body was first taken to Minakha police station and then to Minakha Rural Hospital, where doctors said she was “brought dead”.
The police are investigating why bombs were stored under a haystack and the Trinamool leader, Mr Gayen, has been arrested. He is being interrogated. A police contingent has been posted at the spot.
“The little girl died while visiting her relatives. This is a very sad incident. And even in this moment of grief, BJP leaders are indulging in politics over this. The police are investigating the incident and the guilty will be punished. No one who is guilty will be spared,” local Trinamool leader Sushanta Biswas told reporters.
This incident comes a day after another case of a crude bomb going off in West Bengal’s Keshpur in West Midnapore district was reported. There, a Trinamool worker lost his hand in the explosion. He has been admitted to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital.
On Tuesday, the West Bengal Police recovered illegal arms and weapons and binned several illegal country-made bombs in Birbhum district.
“Seven miscreants have been arrested. A massive search has been launched in the area for more of them. Some country-made bombs have been recovered. A huge police force has been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control,” Birbhum Superintendent of Police Nagendra Nath Tripathi said.
A Trinamool worker, Saddam Hossain, and his minor son, Mozaffar Hossain, were injured in a country bomb explosion. Mr Hossain’s leg was blown away. The boy also suffered serious injuries. A video of the incident shows the police recovering a stash of country-made bombs and disposing them off.
The opposition alleged the ruling Trinamool has been engaged in stockpiling country-made bombs ahead of the panchayat election next year. The election in 2018 saw large-scale violence in several districts across the state.
This time, Trinamool leaders say the election will be held peacefully. But with the recoveries and incidents of country-made bombs going off, many are worried if the Trinamool leaders’ word can be taken.
“The police are investigating the cases. The Chief Minister has ordered combing operations across the state so that there are no bombs or bullets lying around. These are country-made bombs. The question is where are they being made and who is smuggling the explosive material? The Chief Minister has instructed the police chief to ensure there are no bombs anywhere and that’s why the police are making recoveries,” Trinamool leader and Bengal minister Firhad Hakim said.
