A 13-year-old girl was killed in an explosion in West Bengal’s Kaliganj on Monday, allegedly after a crude bomb was hurled during a Trinamool Congress (TMC) victory rally following the party’s bypoll win. “One person has been detained and an investigation is underway,” police official told Indian Express.
The girl, a student, was found critically injured on the verandah of her home in Barochandgar village. She had sustained a serious neck injury and later succumbed to her wounds.
According to local residents, the bomb was thrown from a TMC procession and appeared to target the home of a CPM supporter. According to the IE report, the girl’s mother directly blamed the TMC for the attack. “They had been hurling bombs since morning. Those who did this are from the TMC. We are CPM supporters. My whole family votes for CPM,” she said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock and grief over the incident. In a post on X, she said, “I am shocked and deeply saddened at the death of a young girl in an explosion at Barochandgar in Krishnanagar police district. My prayers and thoughts are with the family. Police shall take strong and decisive legal action against the culprits at the earliest.”
The Election Commission has sought a detailed report on the incident.
The incident has also sparked a political storm. CPM state secretary Mohammad Selim slammed the ruling party, questioning the sincerity of its “Badla noi, badal chai” (No revenge, we want change) slogan.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar called the attack “brutal” and likened the celebration to a terrorist act. “Not speeches, not sweets – bombs were thrown in the name of ‘victory’ in a bypoll! A minor girl was blown to death even before counting ended in Kaliganj. Only in (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee)’s Bengal can an election celebration look like a terrorist attack! How brutal, how sick, how inhuman do you have to be to throw bombs while kids are on the street?” he wrote on X.