Blast At Suspected Illegal Bomb-Making Unit In Trinamool Leader's House Claims Several Lives

A major blast at a house in Purba Medinipur district's Egra late Tuesday (16 May) morning has claimed several lives.

Locals say that the the house, which belonged to local Trinamool Congress functionary Bhanu Bagh, had an illegal bomb-making unit.

The blast took place when some local villagers employed by Bagh were making bombs.

Three bodies have been recovered so far and at least five injured people have been shifted to hospitals. Local people say the death toll will be higher because some bodies have been completely dismembered and were found strewn some distance away.

The impact of the devastating blast was felt throughout the village. A couple of houses in the vicinity also suffered extensive damage.

A team from Egra Police Station which reached the village soon after the blast faced the ire of locals and were roughed up.

Local people allege that they had been complaining to the police about the existence of the illegal bomb-making unit for quite some time, but no action was taken.

East Midnapore police chief K Amarnath said a probe has been ordered. The Bharatiya Janata Party has been quick to demand an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the blast.