People gather at the site of a firecracker unit blast in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal on May 16, 2023. Photo Credit: PTI
On May 16, nine workers were killed and several others injured in a massive explosion at a firecracker factory at Egra in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district.
The blast took place at around 11 am in Khadikul village under Egra police station area. The house where crackers were being made turned into rubble.
The local people attacked the police who reached the spot after the blast and Trinamool Congress leaders were also prevented from going to the spot.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it was an illegal unit and announced ex-gratia to the families of the deceased. State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Sukanta Majumdar alleged that the blast “happened inside a Trinamool Congress leader’s factory where bombs were being made”.
Pointing out that a probe had been launched by the West Bengal Police Criminal Investigation Department, Ms Banerjee said she was not against a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), as demanded by opposition parties.
The accused was arrested last year
Ms. Banerjee said that senior police officers have been sent to the spot and action will be taken against the Agra station house officer. The Chief Minister claimed that the person running the illegal unit was arrested by the police last year and a chargesheet was filed. He said that the accused had fled to Odisha after the incident. Police has identified the accused as Bhanu Bagh.
Purba Medinipur Superintendent of Police K. Amarnath said nine bodies have been recovered so far. According to the police, the unit was raided a few days back.
BJP President Sukant Majumdar said that this incident has raised serious questions on the law and order situation in West Bengal ahead of the panchayat elections. “Is Trinamool making mass bombs to scare people ahead of panchayat elections?” They said. The BJP leader has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding a “comprehensive probe” into the blast.
The blast in Agra is not an isolated incident. In December 2022, Three people died in the blast At the house of a Trinamool Congress leader in Bhupatinagar in the same district. In December 2021, three people, including two women, were killed in a blast at Nodkhali in South 24 Parganas district. Incidents of crude bomb blasts along with recovery of crude bombs have also come to the fore on several occasions in the state.