Basanti: One person died and two were seriously injured in an explosion while making bombs in the Tithkumar village of Basanti in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Saturday. The injured are undergoing treatment at the local health center, police sources said.
According to locals, a loud explosion was heard from the house of Madhirul Khan, a resident of Bharti Mor area of the village. As soon as they heard the noise, people of the area came out of their homes and rushed to the spot. They found that three persons have been injured in the blast. Upon being informed by villagers, police reached spot and inspected the site of the blast.
"The injured were taken to the hospital where one was declared brought dead and the others are undergoing treatment," police sources said. They further revealed that a large police contingent has been deployed in the village to avoid any further untoward incident.
Meanwhile, another bomb was recovered from Golabari Bazar area of Canning in South 24 Parganas earlier in the day and 9 people were arrested in relation to the incident. Locals claimed, followers of the local block president Shanu and Itkhola area deputy head Khatib Sarhdar hurled bombs last night. After that the villagers informed the Canning police station. Police reached the spot and defused the bombs.
Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) and State Minister Firhad Hakim has claimed that BJP is behind these two incidents. "We don't believe in bombs and gunpowder. Trinamool Congress is against violence. BJP is bringing miscreants from different places to disturb the state. Our idol is Mahatma Gandhi. We condemn those who are involved in this," said Hakim. Basanti MLA Shyamal Mandal demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
The incident took place ahead of the Panchayat election in West Bengal where Opposition parties have repeatedly alleged that polls in the State are marred by political violence unleashed by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), a charge which the TMC has vehemently denied.
