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Prayagraj police to trace source of raw material being used in crude bombs
Use of crude bombs during clashes among students as well as by criminals to overpower their opponents is very common in Prayagraj, said police
After several incidents of crude bomb attacks in Sangam City in the recent past, the Prayagraj police have now begun efforts to trace the source of not just these homemade bombs but also their ingredients so as to check the menace permanently.
SSP Shailesh Kumar Pandey said “Investigations are being carried out to identify places where criminals are involved in making these bombs. Source of the raw material used in them will also be traced and action will be taken.”
The official said criminals arrested for related offences will now be specifically questioned about the crude bombs used by them including details about individuals who supplied the ingredients.
To note, use of crude bombs during clashes among students as well as by criminals to maim their opponents is very common in Prayagraj.
In the past some years there have been some incidents in which children have been injured in explosions after they came across crude bombs lying near garbage dumps and started playing with them assuming them to be balls.
Police had recovered bombs and raw material used in making them during raids at some hostels a few years back.
In a recent incident on Monday, a group of youths hurled crude bombs on some persons near Bade Hanuman Temple at Sangam in Daraganj area resulting in injuries to at least six.
Earlier, a group of students, including some inmates of Holland Hall hostel of Allahabad University, hurled crude bombs at an eatery in Civil Lines after an argument over consuming beer there.
Crude bomb explosion near a polling centre in Kareli area on assembly polling day on February 27 had also hit the limelight. A labourer had died in the incident as the bomb hit him in the chest. Police later arrested a group of youths and claimed that they hurled the crude bomb to create disturbance during polls.
Some other minor incidents of crude bomb explosions at different places in the city were also reported during the last few days. It is worth mentioning that some areas of the city like Dhumanganj, Atala, Atarsuiya, Katra, Daraganj, Khuldabad etc are infamous for crude bomb making and its use.
The explosives are sold at prices ranging from ₹100 to ₹500 depending on its power and ingredients. Crude bombs are preferred by criminals as police cannot recover it once they explode.
However, many criminals and even youths have lost their arms when crude bomb went off accidentally or while it was being made.
Police said during last one year, over 450 criminals have been arrested with crude bombs and sent to jail under Explosives Act. Questioning from them has revealed that they used common explosives used in firecrackers for making bombs. However, for powerful bombs they also use potassium chlorate, sulphur etc mixed with nails, ball bearings, shrapnels, crushed glass and powdered iron etc, they added.
