Minor injured after ‘bomb’ explodes near Trinamool councillor’s home in Kolkata

A boy suffered injuries on Friday after a bomb-like object exploded near a Trinamool Congress councillor’s home in Kolkata, while another ‘bomb’ was found a few metres away by the locals.
In the first incident, some boys were playing on a ground in the Patuli area around 350 metres away from Trinamool Congress councillor Bappaditya Dasgupta’s home. One of them picked up the bomb-like object, believing it to be a ball, and it burst immediately, injuring him.
The injured boy was taken to Baghajatin State General Hospital and then transferred to MR Bangur hospital for treatment. Police said the minor was treated and discharged from the hospital.
Within a few hours of the incident, another bomb-like object was spotted by the locals near Mahasweta Devi Park in Patuli area, around 200 metres away from the local councillor’s residence. Police reached the spot after being informed by the locals and a bomb disposal squad defused the bomb.
Kolkata Police recovered the unexploded ‘bomb’ and the fragments of the bomb-like object and were examining the substance used. Police forces from Patuli police station and the bomb disposal squad were examining the sites where the ‘bombs’ were found.
Police sources told India Today TV that the pieces of the bomb-like objects had materials like caps, threads, gunpowder and black rubber-like material. Preliminary investigation suggested that they looked like low-intensity explosives, which may have been created by combining various firecrackers to use on Diwali.
Forensic teams have also been requisitioned at the site of the blast and two cases were registered in the matter, and an investigation was launched, police sources said.
The cases were registered against unknown persons under sections 288 (negligent handling of explosive substances), 126 (act of obstructing someone’s movement), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 54 (abettor present when an offence is committed) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Bappaditya Dasgupta, the Trinamool councillor who was unhurt in the incident, said he was unsure about the nature of the ‘bombs’ and appealed to the police to increase vigilance and monitoring in the area.
“Our Patuli area is very peaceful. No bombs were recovered before in our area and no incidents of violence or unrest were reported here earlier. Police are investigating. Let us wait for the investigation report. I am very concerned and worried about the incident. I would appeal to the police to increase vigilance and monitoring in the area,” he told India Today TV.