Did an Explosion Target a Trinamool Leader's Vehicle in Bengal?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Kolkata, Jan 31 (NationPress) A powerful blast shook a vehicle belonging to a Trinamool Congress leader in the Kulpi area of South 24 Parganas late at night, as reported by police on Saturday morning. The force of the explosion was so intense that it dislodged the garage roof.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported following this incident. The area has since been marked by heightened tension.
The Trinamool Congress has accused the Indian Secular Front (ISF) of orchestrating the attack. Conversely, the ISF has asserted that the Trinamool leader had been hoarding bombs in his car, which subsequently detonated.
The police have commenced an investigation in light of the conflicting claims from both factions.
Reports indicate that Kutubuddin Paik, a resident of Chhamanabuni village in South 24 Parganas Kulpi, serves as the booth president for the village. Paik's vehicle was parked in his garage on Friday night, just like any other night.
Residents were jolted awake by a sudden loud explosion in the middle of the night. They rushed to the scene to find shattered windows in the car and a destroyed asbestos roof. The police were notified immediately. Previously, Paik alleged that his house had been bombed as well, and he has again pointed fingers at the ISF, led by its MLA Nawsad Siddiqui.
Paik demanded that the perpetrators be apprehended. "The explosion occurred around 1 a.m. It was a deafening blast. People came to inform me that my garage had been destroyed and my car was wrecked. I arrived to find my shop next to the garage and the vehicle completely devastated. A bomb was planted here. This is not the first time I have faced such an attack. The ISF and other groups are behind this," he stated.
The ISF has, however, rejected Paik's accusations, contending that the Trinamool leader was storing bombs in the area ahead of the elections, and that one of these bombs exploded, leading to the incident.
"The Trinamool leader is attempting to deflect blame onto the opposition. The explosion was caused by bombs stored in his vehicle. The party is trying to maintain its image," claimed a local ISF representative.
In the meantime, police have cordoned off the area and removed the damaged vehicle. Investigations into the cause of the explosion are ongoing.
While the police have yet to comment on the explosion's cause, the incident has certainly escalated tensions in the area ahead of the elections.