Bengal kids mistake crude bomb for ball, suffer injuries in explosion

While one of the victims, a boy, sustained minor injuries, two girls were admitted to a hospital with splinter injuries.

By Sreyasi Pal

Image for representation.. (Getty Images)

At least three children were injured when they started playing with a crude country-made bomb mistaking it to be a ball at Murshidabad district in south Bengal on Sunday morning.

While one of the victims, a boy, sustained minor injuries as he was standing at a distance, two girls, aged 8 and 11 years, were admitted to a hospital with splinter injuries. Their conditions were stated to be stable when the reports last came in.

Locals said that a few village children were playing in a field close to the village school. The two girls spotted a ball-like object lying on the ground and picked it up. They started playing with it which led to the explosion.

“An investigation has been initiated,” said Y Raghuvamshi, superintendent of police, Jangipur police district.

A senior district official said that names of some of the miscreants involved in bomb-making cropped up during the investigation. Raids are being conducted to nab them.

With the state assembly elections around the corner, political parties have already registered their apprehension before the Election Commission of India saying that political violence could shoot up in the state.

The ECI has already directed the state administration to submit regular reports of incidents of violence, seizures of arms and ammunitions and implementation of non-bailable arrest warrants.