East Midnapore factory blast: Bomb squad team conducts investigation
The Hindu
The West Bengal Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has initiated a probe and an investigation into the East Midnapore factory blast. A bomb squad has conducted an investigation of the explosion site.
A bomb squad team on May 17 conducted an investigation at the spot in West Bengal's East Midnapore district where nine people were killed and several others injured in an explosion at an illegal firecracker factory on May 16.
A massive blast took place at the factory in Khadikul village under the Egra police station at around 11 a.m. on May 16. According to the police, the factory was operating illegally and the owner had been arrested last year and a chargesheet was filed. They said that efforts are underway to arrest the accused, identified as Krishnapada Bagh alias Bhanu Bagh.
The West Bengal Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has initiated a probe and an investigation into the incident with the help of forensic experts after the State Government handed over the case to it.
East Medinipur Superintendent of Police Amarnath K said, “Till now, 9 bodies have been recovered and efforts are being made to find out if there was any other killed in the incident. Two people, seriously injured in this incident, have been referred to Kolkata’s SSKM [Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital] from Egra Super Specialty Hospital.”
“It was an illegal factory. There have been three to four cases against this factory in the past as well. It was raided many times, but the accused kept operating it. Efforts are underway to arrest the accused, identified as Krishnapada Bagh alias Bhanu Bagh,” the SP said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an ex-gratia of ₹2.5 lakh for the kin of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for those injured.
West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding a “comprehensive probe” into the incident. He also said that the probe should be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).