Birbhum – latest center for Islamists to stockpile weapons

Bomb explosion claims two lives, injures several critically in Labhpur

Evidencing once more that the watershed Lok Sabha Election, 2014 may become violent if it fails to gratify aspiration of the ruling clique in Bengal and to vent this anger illegal arms and ammunitions are being stockpiled by radical Muslims across the state, two people were killed while seven got injured seriously on April 21 owing to an explosion in the residence of Sheikh Ismail, known as an ardent supporter and also local leader of Trinamool Congress, in the village of Kusumgaria within the Labhpur police station’s jurisdiction in the district of Birbhum. It is widely believed that the explosion happened while crude bombs were being made. According to locals, others who were less injured fled the spot soon.

It has come to knowledge, the incident had taken place on April 21 at 1 pm when Sheikh Ismail’s house was bustling with the presence of lots of people. The adjoining hut of Sheikh Ismail, known also as a henchman of Monirul Islam, TMC MLA already under Election Commission’s scanner for reckless speeches, caught fire. While the main house of Ismail consists of two stories, the hut is made of mud and following the blast when locals rushed to the spot, two slain bodies were identified. Local police was informed, accordingly. On the word of police officials, the blast occurred as lots of crude bombs were discharged at the same instant. Nevertheless, the incident has led to a political brouhaha in the area and no party is losing a chance to pick its opponent. While the reigning Trinamool Congress has already distanced itself from this explosion, CPIM has termed it as natural fallout of Mamata regime.

But the mud-slinging can’t end the danger for sure and this can be discerned how the administration is virtually staggering in the state and gropes in darkness for a definite clue. On April 19, 2014, security forces got hold of 105 crude bombs with explosive manufacturing materials during a search operation inn the same district of Birbhum. A joint squad of CRPF and state police in the village of Bamdevpur within Rampurhat police station’s jurisdiction in the district conducted the raid. According to sources, the entire operation was based on intelligence reports and thanks to reports and also their own fortitude, security forces seized 105 country-made bombs, 1kg of gunpowder, shrapnels and other explosive materials.

The saga of stockpiling does not end with the district of Birbhum. Districts of Bardhaman and Murshidabad are in the same inventory already. Only in the month of March 2014, Humayun Kabir, Superintendent of Police in Murshidabad, had congratulated the investigation under the aegis of Arijit Sinha, SDPO of Domkal, in public. The operation recovered 2 muskets, a single-barreled rifle, three 9 mm pistols, 6 one-shutter guns, 22 rounds of cartridges and 5 magazines. This was a major breakthrough while through other investigations conducted in the areas of Jalangi, Raninagar and Domkal police stations, the police force got hold of 11 firearms and culprits including a Bangladeshi national involved in at least eight cases of murder. According to police reports, 392 illegal weapons, 686 rounds of ammunition and 1,882 bombs were seized in Bengal in the month of March only.

Hindu Samhati regularly monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.