Child critically injured in bomb blast in Basanti

Crude bomb violence in West Bengal has once again played havoc with the children of the state. A minor boy was critically injured in a bomb explosion at the house of a political worker in South 24-Parganas’ Basanti last night, triggering panic and sharp political reactions in the area.

The victim, identified as Kalo Gayen, a Class IV student, sustained grievous injuries when a bomb went off at a residence in Kharimachan area, under Amjhara Gram Panchayat in Basanti police station area. He suffered severe injuries to his right hand and eyes and was initially taken to a local hospital before being shifted to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, where his condition is stated to be critical. The explosion took place at the house of Anar Sheikh, reportedly a Trinamul worker.

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Local sources said a long-standing dispute has been simmering between the Sheikh and Gayen families, primarily over a piece of land where a local club Kharimachan Nazrul Sangha’ is situated. According to villagers, tensions had escalated in recent days, prompting plans for a salishi (arbitration) meeting between the two families scheduled for 25 December. However, on the evening of 24 December, before any settlement could take place, the bomb explosion occurred, leaving the minor boy critically injured.

Residents alleged that crude bombs were being manufactured inside Anar Sheikh’s house to assert dominance in the ongoing dispute. At the time of the explosion, several children were reportedly playing nearby, leading to the tragic injury. This is not the first time violence has flared up between the two families. In 2019, Rahim Sheikh, a member of the Sheikh family, was murdered, plunging the area into tension for a prolonged period. Police from Basanti police station have started an investigation and are probing the circumstances leading to the blast.

With elections approaching, the incident has intensified political sparring. A BJP leader, Sanjay Nayek, blamed the ruling party, questioning the state’s law and order situation. However, Basanti Trinamul MLA Shyamal Mondal denied any political connection to the incident, calling it a purely local dispute.