Blast Destroys Congress Worker’s Home in Murshidabad; No Casualties
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Kolkata, April 21 (NationPress) An explosive incident occurred at the residence of a Congress party member in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal on Tuesday morning, just days before the commencement of the Assembly elections. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, as confirmed by law enforcement officials.
The explosion took place at the home of Saimul Sheikh, a resident of Maniknagar village within the Nayansukh gram panchayat area of Farakka block, who also serves as a Congress booth president. The force of the blast was significant enough to cause the roof to cave in and bricks to scatter, inciting panic among nearby residents.
Authorities stated that construction work was actively happening at Saimul Sheikh's property at the time of the explosion.
Eyewitness accounts reveal that a group of construction workers had paused for water when a sudden explosion erupted, accompanied by a deafening noise and clouds of smoke. A considerable portion of the roof suffered damage from the blast.
Responding swiftly to the report, officers from the Farakka police station arrived promptly at the scene. The police are currently investigating whether a bomb was concealed on the roof or if it had been thrown from outside. Increased police patrols have been deployed in the vicinity to prevent any escalation of tension. The area surrounding the house has been cordoned off by law enforcement.
Milton, one of the workers present on the roof at the time, remarked, "There were four of us taking a break for water when we suddenly heard the loud explosion. After inspecting the roof this morning, we found nothing unusual. We narrowly escaped a serious incident today."
Meanwhile, Hilina Khatun, the spouse of the Congress leader, expressed her concerns, stating, "While we were working on the masonry, a loud noise startled us. I rushed to see the roof had collapsed. My younger son and daughters frequently play up there. A significant accident could have occurred today. We are baffled as to who is responsible for this act."
Local leaders from the Trinamool party have claimed that explosives were stored in the Congress worker's home to instill fear ahead of the elections.
In response, the Congress party has alleged that this is a calculated scheme aimed at damaging their reputation in the run-up to the elections. They have called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident.