12 killed in illegal cracker factory blast in Bengal

The factory owner, Ranjan Maity — a Trinamool Congress block-level leader — has been arrested. Ram Maity, who used to run the factory on Ranjan’s behalf, has died along with his wife and child.

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Sources said the owner used to recruit a lot of minors.

IG (Western Range) Siddhi Nath Gupta said: “It was an illegal fire cracker factory. The bomb disposal team has also confirmed that the factory used to make fire crackers. Those who worked here had come from different parts of Bengal but their identities are yet to be confirmed.”

While claiming that this being a wedding season, demand for crackers had shot up, the IG said: “We are looking into all possibilities.”

Locals, meanwhile, claimed that more than 12 people have died in the blast. “Thirty-three people worked in the factory. Even if some were absent, the number of dead could never be 12. I have seen many bodies, mostly in charred condition, being dumped in sacks and carried off in a van,” said Amit Kumar Bhuniya, who lives nearby.

“I live about 200 metres away from the factory and the explosion shook my house. There was fire all over. This morning, we found parts of bodies on top of the trees, about 100 metres away from the blast spot. The workshop has been completely demolished,” he added.

Amit claimed that villagers have been complaining to the local police about the factory for the last two years but to no avail. Police, however, denied receiving any such complaint. “I have checked with the local police station. There has been no such complaint against the factory,” Gupta said.

Near the factory is the residence of Tapasi Bhakta, who feared that she had lost her husband, Suvendu Bhakta (25), in the blast. “Just before the blast he went to the spot to get information about a doctor. I have not seen my husband since. When the blast took place, I ran out and saw the area filled with smoke and fire. Police didn’t let me see the bodies,” she said.

Meanwhile, Opposition leaders called for a central investigating agency’s probe into the blast. Congress leader Manas Bhuniya, an MLA from neighbouring Sabang, visited the spot.

Bhuniya, who had earlier met Governor Kesari Nath Tripathi regarding the issue, said it was unlikely that the police did not know about the existence of the illegal cracker unit. “CID has let everyone down and tried to suppress facts. A CBI probe is inevitable,” he added.

CPM MLA Probodh Sinha, terming it as a gross law and order failure, said: “The factory did not come up in one day. It is impossible that the police didn’t know about it. We don’t trust the CID. A probe by CBI is a must.”

State BJP president Rahul Sinha, demanded an NIA investigation into the incident. “I have informed Union Home minister Rajnath Singh of the explosion. The Chief Minister should request the Centre for an NIA probe into the explosion,” he said. BJP MLA Shamik Bhattacharya too said a national investigating agency should take up the matter as the state had failed to probe a similar incident in Burdwan last year.