Mystery shrouds bomb blast at TMC office in Bardhaman

Opposition and locals claim more people were killed in the explosion

The aftermath: Policemen at the Trinamool office at Pichkuri village in Bardhaman district of West Bengal on Monday. It was completely destroyed in a blast on Sunday.

Mystery shrouds the bomb blast at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) office in east Bardhaman district on Sunday. Although District Magistrate Anurag Srivastava said one person was killed and three others were injured in the incident, locals and other parties claimed that the toll was much higher.

Around seven persons were present in the office in Pichkudijhal village of Ausgram when the explosion occurred. The intensity of the blast was such that the single-storey building collapsed.

Deceased not identified

The identities of the four victims are yet to be established. Further, it is not clear as to which hospital the body was sent for a post-mortem examination and where the injured are being treated.

Alleging that more people were killed in the incident, locals said bodies were removed by TMC workers soon after the explosion.

Meanwhile, the State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe the incident.

“We think there is a conspiracy behind the explosion, and it cannot be properly probed by the State police. Therefore, the NIA should look into the matter,” said BJP State president Dilip Ghosh. TMC district president of neighbouring Birbhum, Anubrata Mondal, alleged that the CPI-M was behind the explosion.

‘Cowardly acts’

“The CPI-M is resorting to cowardly attacks,” he said, adding that the police were hand in glove with local miscreants.

Responding to the allegations, CPI-M Bardhaman District Secretary, Achinta Mallick, said, “Such an explosion could not have taken place unless bombs were being stored in the office. The TMC has to set its records straight in this regard.”