Dhanbad: At least five people were critically injured after a bomb exploded at a market in Topchanchi, located in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district, on Sunday. The bomb was kept in the trunk of a motorcycle, and the explosion took place when the rider started the engine, police said. The injured are undergoing treatment at the Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College (SNMMC), officials noted.
The motorcycle owner, identified as one Pintu Barnwal, had come to the market for shopping, and had collected goods before returning to the two-wheeler. The subsequent explosion when he switched the bike on left severe burns on his body, and injured shop owners nearby. Speaking to the media, Barnwal stated that he was travelling from Bagodar in Giridih district to Gomoh.
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Notably, the incident comes just a day ahead of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's Dhanbad visit where he will be attending the passing out parade of India Reserve Battalion, JAP-3 at Govindpur area of the district. Topchanchi, as per reports, is a Maoist-affected area in the district.
Meanwhile, an insurgent belonging to the CPI(Maoist) outfit was killed in gunfight with security forces in Lohardaga district on Thursday, January 5. The operation took place in the Korbo jungle in Bagru area of the district, wherein a total of 18 insurgents were holding camp under self-styled 'zonal commander' Ravindra Ganju. While both in question were captured, 16 others conducted indiscriminate firing and retreated to deeper into the forest.
