Recurring explosions of abandoned crude bombs have emerged as a cause for concern in rural areas of the district, with residents demanding better vigil on the part of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad in view of the approaching Lok Sabha elections.
The latest such incident at Nadapuram on Wednesday injuring two girls underscores the need for stepping up watchfulness.
It was a narrow escape for sisters Fathima Mujeeb, 10, and Nadiya, 8, who accidentally kicked the steel bomb which had been discarded in the area by unknown persons.
The girls, who were returning from a madrasa, sustained serious injuries in their legs and abdomen. The police confirmed that it was a steel bomb though it was initially suspected to be a cracker.
The first major incident in the last three months was an explosion at a restaurant at Perambra. It took place two months ago.
The bomb went off when a labourer was trying to clear the junk on the top floor of the restaurant. A police investigation could not find evidence pointing to those who left it there.
The second incident was on the compound of the Chombala police station, where a crude bomb went off while workers were trying to burn waste materials. Though the police were initially suspected of discarding the seized explosive material by mistake on the station compound, they had ruled out the possibility and launched a separate investigation into the incident.
However, it also could not trace the actual source. Both the explosions took place in the second week of December 2018.
Subsequent searches led to the seizure of nine highly powerful steel bombs hidden inside a plastic pipe near the Kummankode South LP School at Nadapuram.
For the record, the local police had intensified search along with the bomb squad during the recent clashes between BJP, CPI(M) and IUML activists. However, it lost steam midway.
Prince Abraham, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Nadapuram, told The Hindu on Thursday that search operations within all rural police station limits under the Nadapuram police sub division would be intensified by issuing fresh instructions to the bomb squad.
“As the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner, we have received instructions from the higher authorities to carry out more surprise checks in suspected areas,” he added.
