West Bengal: Police uncover 117 crude bombs after recurring explosions in Birbhum

The district authorities were alerted after two recent explosions, one each at Mallapur and Labhpur. Frequent recovery of abandoned crude bombs, forced the police department to launch search operations and as many as 117 bombs and six guns were recovered, and 9 suspects were arrested under various acts including arms act in the past 48 hours.

Birbhum district SP Shyam Singh said the major haul was from Darbarpur under Labhpur block where 40 live crude bombs were seized near the courtyard of a house. A total of nine socket bombs were recovered from Lalmohanpur under Sadadipur, he said, adding 27 more bombs were recovered from Sattor village under Parui police station and other places from six police station limits.

He said the search operation will be continued until the areas have been cleared of abandoned explosives and weapons, which have been creating panic among the villagers.

Birbhum district has been on the boil for more than a year since panchayat polls in 2018. Political fights to lord over the area between the ruling TMC and opposition parties, mainly the BJP, have divided the people bitterly.