West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the explosion in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
The death toll from the gas cylinder blast at a house at Dholahat in Pathar Pratima rose to eight after one more person succumbed to injuries on Tuesday morning, police said.
The explosion triggered a massive fire, which was intensified by the presence of stacked firecrackers inside the house, according to police.
In his letter, Majumdar expressed "profound concern" over the incident, which reportedly occurred at an "illegal firecracker factory".
He also suggested that the explosion could be connected to an illicit bomb-making facility allegedly operating under political protection.
He wrote, "This incident is part of a concerning trend; Bengal has seen a significant rise in illegal arms and explosives incidents, posing severe threats to national security and public safety."
Majumdar called for a thorough investigation by the NIA to trace the origins of the explosion and determine whether it is linked to a larger network of illegal arms operations.
Later in a post on X, while sharing a copy of the letter, he said, "I have written to Hon'ble Home Minister Shri@AmitShah Ji, demanding an immediate NIA investigation into the massive explosion in Dhola, South 24 Parganas. This isn't just an accident', it's a symptom of Bengal's growing lawlessness under Failed Chief Minister@MamataOfficial 's rule!"
The incident has sparked a political clash, with the BJP demanding an NIA investigation, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) dismissed the claims, stating that the state police are already investigating and emphasising that the West Bengal government maintains "zero tolerance to such incidents."
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