Girl dies in bomb blast in Kaliganj, CM Mamata orders police to take action

KOLKATA, June 23: A girl was killed in a bomb explosion in Kaliganj in Naida district of West Bengal on Monday afternoon, prompting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to order police to take strict action against the culprits.
The incident occurred after the byelection results of the Kaliganj assembly seat was declared.
One person identified as Akhtar Sheikh was arrested for his alleged involvement in the death of the girl in bomb explosion, an officer said.
Police, who later claimed that the girl was 13-year-old Tammana Khatun, alleged that the girl was hit by splinters of the bomb.
“The bombing took place between two local groups over a rivalry. There was a similar incident in 2023 and one of our officers was injured in that. The girl died probably after she was hit by splinters of bombs,” a senior police officer said.
The IPS officer said that forensic examination would confirm the type of bomb that exploded, leading to the death of the girl at Barochandgar under Kaliganj police station limits.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said police will take strict legal action against the culprits.
“I am shocked and deeply saddened at the death of a young girl in an explosion at Barochandgar. My prayers and thoughts are with the family in their hour of grief,” Banerjee posted on X.“Police shall take strong and decisive legal action against the culprits at the earliest,” she added.
Locals claimed that the girl along with her mother was going to a nearby pond to take a bath when she was hit by a bomb hurled by some people who took out a rally to celebrate the TMC’s win in the bypoll. (PTI)