Kolkata, April 1 (IANS) Almost 15 hours since the massive blast took place at an illegal firecracker factory at Patharpratima in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, one of the two absconding owners was arrested by the investigating team of state police.
The arrested individual was identified as Chandrakanta Banik. However, his brother, Tushar Banik who is the joint owner of the house, continues to be absconding. The investigating officials are trying to track him through the interrogation of his arrested brother.
The arrested individual will be presented at a district court later in the day and the public prosecutor will seek his police custody for further interrogation in the matter.
Meanwhile, the state secretariat has sought a detailed report from the district magistrate of South 24 Parganas on how the blast took place and other related information on the matter.
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, described this seeking of report as a farcical exercise and claimed that ultimately nothing concrete will transpire from such actions since the illegal firearms factories through the state are running because of the direct indulgence of the ruling Trinamool Congress and police administration.
Meanwhile, tension continues to brew at Patharpratima on Tuesday afternoon as the local people are agitated over the role of the local police in the matter. The people have complained that their repeated complaints at the police station about the factory being run illegally at Banik house were completely ignored by the police.
The local people have also expressed doubts on whether the blast was from illegal firecrackers or crude bombs, considering the intensity of the blast, following which the entire house was completely gutted.
Till now, the police have yet to make it clear whether the firecracker factory was running with a proper license or was operating illegally. So far there has been no statement from the office of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the administrative actions in the matter, including the quantum of compensation to be paid to the family members of the victim.
The West Bengal unit of BJP has already demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the matter, echoing the apprehension of the local people that, in reality, crude bombs were manufactured at the said factory.
–IANS
src/dpb
