Violence in the fourth round of the panchayat polls in West Bengal on Monday did not even spare children: three of whom, aged between four and seven years, were injured in a bomb explosion outside the house of a Trinamool Congress candidate in the Birnagar area of Kaliachak in Malda district.
The children have been admitted to the Malda Medical College and Hospital. While the condition of two was stable, that of the third was critical.
Mamud Sheikh, one of the injured children, said they were playing and saw some “balls” when they opened the door of the house, “and then there was an explosion.”
“As per the complaint, the three children were playing in the courtyard when their mothers heard the sound of an explosion. They rushed to the courtyard and found the children injured,” Malda police superintendent Kalyan Mukherjee, told journalists.
Senior police officers including forensic experts were investigating the case, he added.
On whether the bombs were present inside the house or were hurled by miscreants, Mr. Mukherjee said the police were not in a position to say anything conclusive as the probe was still on.
The mother of one of the victims said, “The incident happened after we had just returned home after voting. The children were playing. We suddenly heard an explosion and rushed to see them lying injured.”
Left Front chairperson Biman Bose said the ruling party stated that the children were injured when bombs were hurled from outside. This was not true.
