A massive explosion tore through a house in Rameshwarpur under Kandi police station in Murshidabad around 12:30 pm on Wednesday, leaving six members of the same family severely burnt. Among them, a three-year-old child died, while others remain in critical condition.
According to police sources, the house belonged to one Anisur Sheikh. At the time of the blast, four women, the child, and Anisur himself were inside. The explosion was so powerful that it shook the entire village, spreading panic among residents.
Locals rushed to the spot and helped douse the flames before police and fire services arrived. The victims were pulled out from the burning debris and taken to the Gokarna Block Primary Health Center, from where five were referred to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital for advanced treatment.
The injured have been identified as Ahladi Bibi, Ruli Bibi, Nurjahan Khatun, Anisur alias Dalim, and Rizba Bibi. The child, Amina Parveen, succumbed to her injuries at Murshidabad Medical College.
Murshidabad Superintendent of Police Kumar Sunny Raj said, “Initial investigation suggests that the explosion may have been caused by a cooking gas cylinder. However, the matter is under investigation.”
Locals, however, have raised doubts about the official explanation. Many claim that the intensity of the blast was far too severe for a mere gas cylinder explosion. They suspect that crude bombs might have been stored inside the house.
Their suspicion has gained strength amid an ongoing police crackdown on illegal bomb-making activities in Murshidabad.
Since November 3, the district police have launched a bomb recovery drive using drones and sniffer dogs. So far, 25 cases have been registered, 925 fresh bombs seized, and 20 persons arrested. Firearms have also been recovered from several police stations across the district.
Residents allege that miscreants, fearing police raids, may have hidden bombs in residential areas. “If that’s true, then the explosion in Anisur’s house may not have been an accident,” said one villager.
As police continue their investigation, questions remain over whether this was a tragic domestic accident or a chilling reminder of the bomb menace that has gripped Murshidabad in recent days.
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