Birbhum: In a massive crackdown on violence involving arms and explosives in the city, West Bengal police conducted simultaneous raids and recovered 112 pieces of live bombs, six country-made weapons and arrested 399 people under specific and preventive sections.
"A simultaneous drive was held throughout Birbhum district and 112 pieces of live crude and socket bombs were recovered from - Nanoor (32), Labpur (40), Panrui (20), Sadaipur (9), Kankartala (9) and Rampurhat (2) - police station areas," said Superintendent of Police (SP) Shyam Singh.
"399 persons - 65 persons in specific cases, 228 persons in preventive sections and 106 persons against pending cases - were arrested," he added.
There has been a rise in the number of violent crimes involving arms and explosives in the region. Just recently, a blast had taken place at the old building of Panchayat Deputy health center in Birbhum.
"Six country-made arms and ammunition were also recovered, one each from Sadaipur, Rampurhat, Dubrajpur, Nalhati, Mohammad Bazar and Labpur police station area," Singh said.
When asked whether explosives and illegal arms are being brought in from outside Bengal, the officer refused to comment but said such incidents of blasts and violence "are not new in Birbhum".
A blast ripped through a club building near Mallarpur railway station in the wee hours of June 30, causing the roof and a wall of the building to partially collapse. Forensic team was called in to ascertain the nature of the blast.
