Hours after the peaceful first round of Assembly polls in West Bengal, Police recovered 56 bombs in Narendrapur on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, the Election Commission (EC) said on Sunday.
According to reports, on the night of March 27-28, a team from Narendrapur Police Station in the district, acting on a tip-off, conducted a raid at a "bamboo fenced tile shed room" beside Bheri at Kantipota village and recovered 56 bombs.
“Acting on a tip-off, we raided a hideout in the middle of a bheri and recovered 56 crude bombs on Saturday night. We have initiated a case against the owner of the fish farm and raids are going on,” Kamanashish Sen, superintendent of Baruipur police district, told Hindustan Times.
Meanwhile, the bomb disposal squad disposed of all bombs on Sunday. The investigation is underway and efforts are being made to nab the involved miscreants.
A case was registered at the local police station under sections of the Explosive Substance Act against the owner of the fish farm and unknown others who are involved in the racket of manufacturing, transportation and illegal use of bombs, a police statement said. "Investigation is continuing and all out efforts are being made to nab the miscreants involved," it added.
An arms factory was also busted in Merigunj village in Kultali police station area late on Saturday night. The police recovered a cache of crude arms. The owner of the house, where the illegal arms manufacturing unit was functioning, was arrested.
Since West Bengal is undergoing assembly polls, the EC is in strict vigil of the law and order situation in the state. The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections concluded with an estimated 79.79 per cent voter turnout on Saturday.
"Apart from a few sporadic incidents, the polling was peaceful," Chief Electoral Officer Aariz Aftab told mediapersons on Saturday after the conclusion of phase-I polls.
In the first phase, 30 seats covering all assembly constituencies from the districts of Purulia and Jhargram and a segment of Bankura, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur went to polls to decide on the electoral fate of 191 candidates, including 21 women.
Now the remaining seven phases for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held on different dates with the final round of voting scheduled on April 29. Counting of votes will take place on May 2.
