North 24 Parganas, West Bengal – May 19 (ANI): An explosion occurred early Monday morning in a multi-storey residential building in the Bass Bagan area of Ward No. 4 under the Titagarh Municipality, North 24 Parganas district. The blast, which took place around 7:00 a.m., caused significant structural damage but resulted in no reported injuries.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) I.B. Jha, the Titagarh Police Station received information about the explosion and promptly dispatched a team to the site. The area was cordoned off, and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was called in to assist with the investigation. DCP Jha stated, “If no complaint regarding the incident is received, we will file a suo motu case. We have no information about any person’s injury. The flat in which this incident occurred was vacant. We are investigating whose possession this flat was under.”
Initial reports suggest that the explosion originated from a vacant flat on the fifth floor of the building. The blast was powerful enough to blow off the walls of the flat and caused debris to fall onto an adjacent slum, damaging a shanty. A police officer at the scene indicated that explosives stored inside the flat might have caused the blast.
Building promoter Anil Gupta alleged that the flat was rented by local Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Md. Riazuddin, also known as Arman Mondal, during the municipal elections and that the keys had not been returned since. Councillor Mondal denied these claims, asserting that he was being targeted and that the explosion occurred in a hall, not a flat.
Police and bomb squad personnel have secured the area and are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and identify those responsible. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
Residents in the vicinity expressed concern over the incident, emphasizing the need for heightened security measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
About The Author
