BURDWAN: A seven-year-old boy was killed and his friend, aged eight, grievously injured when a crude bomb, which the children thought was a ball, exploded at Subhaspally in Burdwan town on Monday morning.
The Election Commission has taken cognizance of the incident and sought a report from the state administration. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) too has sought a report within 24 hours from East Burdwan district magistrate.
Local residents said Sk Afroz and Sk Ibrahim were playing on the roadside when ball-shaped objects in an earthen pot caught their fancy. No sooner had they begun tossing one of these objects, it exploded with a “deafening noise” and shattered glass panes of nearby houses. Some said they heard a second blast after which the area was enveloped in dense, white smoke.
Once the haze cleared a bit, bystanders found Afroz in a puddle of blood, his face and body heavily disfigured. Afroz’s mother, Sania Bibi, saw a bleeding Ibrahim running for help and administered first aid. She later collapsed when she saw her own son lying lifeless. Afroz was declared brought dead at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital. Ibrahim, a resident of Memari who was visiting his relative in Subhaspally, is admitted to BMCH.
Police and the bomb squad of East Burdwan later inspected the spot. Crude bomb remains were collected for tests. East Burdwan SP Bhaskar Mukherjee said: “The boys found two bombs in a pot and thought them to be balls. The blast killed one of them; the other is in hospital, but stable. We have collected samples from the spot and are scanning CCTV footage recorded by a house. Forensic experts will collect more evidence.”
Afroz’s aunt Neha Khatun told TOI that the boy was a Class I student at Ramkrishna Prathamik Vidyalaya. “His friend and he were collecting soil to build a playhouse (when they chanced upon the bombs). Everyone is shocked to know that little Afroz is no more.”
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her grief and is learnt to have directed officials to take care of the injured boy. Trinamool Congress candidate from Burdwan South Khokan Das has already met Ibrahim’s family in hospital and assured them of help.
Supporters of BJP took out a silent procession in Burdwan in the evening, condemning Afroz’s death.