Child, 8, Killed In Kolkata Blast; Trinamool Leader Says He Was Target

An eight-year-old boy was killed and at least nine others, including his mother, were injured in an explosion today in Kolkata's Nagerbazar area about 2 km from the airport. The blast took place in front of a four-storey building jn a natrow lane and shatterred glass and metal shutters in nearby buildings.

The explosion took place outside a shuttered ground floor office. A fruit shop seller was sitting nearby and is one of the seriously hurt.

Blood splattered the pavement as people rushed to help the injured.

The child, Bibhash Ghosh, and his mother and others were rushed to hospital but he was dead by the time he got there.

Initially, the police said it was possibly a cylinder blast. Later, the police changes that to a high intensity explosion and finally, the Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Commissiinarate, Mr Rajesh Kumar Singh said the blast was caused by a low intensity, crude, socket bomb.

The police said the impact of the blast was magnified by a metal shutter nearby. The bomb parts ricocheted off the concrete floor and hit a terrace.

"A large explosion took place outside a shop in Nagerbazar area today morning. According to the probe so far, low intensity socket bombs were used in the blast," Barrackpore police chief Rajesh Kumar Singh said.

He added the state's Criminal Investigation Department had examined the spot. "Several items including a bag have been seized and sent for forensic tests," said Mr Singh.

Politics erupted soon after.

Sujit Bose, Trinamool MLA claimed the target of the blast was Trinamool Congress leader and South Dum Dum Municipality Chairman Panchu Roy.

Mr Roy himself stopped short of naming any political party as he told the Press Trust of India: "Forces currently attacking the ruling Trinamool Congress all over Bengal are behind the attack. Today is October 2, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. We all know which group was involved in Gandhiji's killing. I will not be surprised if that same group was involved in this blast." He alleged that the plan was to create panic.

But another Trinamool leader, Mr Purnendu Bose, who is the local MLA told ANI he suspected an RSS hand behind the incident. That claim. Immediately sparked an angry coutburst from.

The ruling Trinamool and the Left have traded charges of crude bomb attacks and other violence in the past.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, which has been making inroads in the state over the past few years, has also sparred with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party over political violence.

The two parties blamed each other soon after today's explosion.

Also Read:Kolkata Building Collapse Kills Two

PTI