Child dies in bomb explosion in West Bengal

The police arrested her uncle Abul Hussain Gayen for storing crude bombs in the house

A nine-year-old girl died in a crude bomb explosion at Minakhan in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening and the police on Thursday arrested her uncle Abul Hussain Gayen for storing crude bombs in the house. The child hailed from South 24 Parganas district and had come to visit her maternal uncle in Bakchora village.

The incident happened when the girl, out of curiosity, picked up the crude bomb.

Mr. Gayen who is into the fisheries business, is allegedly close to the ruling party leaders in the neighbourhood.

This was the second incident of a similar nature. On October 25, a seven-year-old boy died at Bhatpara in the same district.

Over the past few days, the incidents of crude bomb explosions have occurred in different parts of the State. A youth lost his limbs on November 14 at Sainthia in Birbhum district. The clash in Birbhum was between two factions of the Trinamool Congress.

Five children suffered injuries likewise near Jadavpur on October 28, while two children got wounded at Kultali in Sundarbans on Wednesday.

The death of a child at Minakhan triggered a war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Opposition parties in the State. While the dates for the upcoming rural polls in the State have not yet been announced, the Opposition parties said that the incidents raised questions on the law and order situation. Bombs have also been recovered at Keshpur in Paschim Medinipur district.