The victim's family, including his wife, claimed there had been no quarrel before the attack. (File photo)
A civic police volunteer has been arrested after allegedly shoving a lit firecracker into a man’s mouth during a Durga idol immersion procession in Birbhum’s Chandpara area of Margram on Thursday night.
The victim, Hemant Bagdi (24), suffered severe facial burns and was admitted to Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital. Police identified the accused as Sajal Maji, who was taken into custody, produced in court, and remanded to seven days’ police custody.
You have exhausted your monthly limit of free stories.
Read more stories for free with an Express account.
According to police, a large crowd had gathered for the immersion when, without provocation, Maji allegedly lit a “chocolate bomb” firecracker and placed it in Bagdi’s mouth. It exploded instantly, leaving the victim with grave injuries inside and outside his face.
Bagdi’s family, including his wife, claimed there had been no quarrel before the attack. The incident threw the procession into chaos, with residents rushing Bagdi to hospital.
Public outrage soon followed. Organisers of nine local pujas reportedly blocked the road with their idols, demanding swift action. The blockade lasted about half an hour until Margram police assured the crowd that the accused had been arrested and justice would be delivered.
Rampurhat police have begun a detailed investigation. “We are currently probing the motive behind the attack, including whether any prior personal enmity existed,” a police official said.
Maji was reportedly responsible for helping manage the crowd during the procession.
Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics.
With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences.
Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
