West Bengal: Two killed in explosion in Trinamool party office in West Medinipur
West Medinipur, Aug 23 (IBNS): At least two men were killed and several others were injured in an explosion in a party office of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) at Mokrampur area under Narayangarh Police Station limits in West Medinipur district of West Bengal on Thursday morning, reports said.
According to locals, the loud explosion was heard at around 8:30 am. from the party office when two local leaders and several party activists were there inside the premises.
"After hearing a loud sound of explosion, we rushed to the TMC party office, which was the source of the sound, and found that portion of the party office collapsed due to the explosion," an eyewitness told IBNS.
At least 10 persons were seriously injured in the explosion and they were rushed to Medinipur Medical College and Hospital where two of them were pronounced dead.
"We also found few local TMC activists lying injured inside and outside the party office. We rescued them, sent them to hospital and called the local police in," the local man added.
Local authorities said that one of the deceased has been identified as TMC activist Sudipto Ghosh, who was a resident of Kharagpur area, while identity of another killed person is yet to be established.
Following the explosion, a huge police force rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area.
"Our experts have been deployed to the scene to examine the explosion site and to establish the reason behind the deadly explosion," a senior official of West Medinipur district police told IBNS.
Meanwhile, local leaders of opposition parties and residents of the area alleged that a large number of crude bombs were stored inside the party office and one of those was believed to have exploded.
"Ahead of panchayat board formation, Trinamool was storing and making crude bombs inside the party office and a crude bomb went off today morning which caused the massive explosion," a local BJP leader claimed.
Denying the allegation against his party, West Medinipur district president of TMC, Ajit Maity, told IBNS, "I have accessed inputs that a LPG cylinder exploded inside our party office's kitchen in the morning and two of our party activists were killed in the unfortunate accident."
"Neither crude bombs were stocked inside the party office nor those were being made there. It was just a gas cylinder accident," Maity said.
"Exact reason behind the explosion will be known after the completion of investigation," he added.
Local police, however, have started probe into the reason behind the high intensity explosion.
(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha, Images by IBNS)
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