Birbhum: Two people were killed in an explosion while allegedly making crude bombs in Hatia village under Lavpur police station limits in Birbhum district, West Bengal. The deceased have been identified as Sheikh Sabir (26) and Sheikh Alamgir (18), the latter reportedly a student. According to locals, the actual death toll may be higher, but bodies were allegedly removed from the scene soon after the blast.
Confirming the incident, Birbhum District Superintendent of Police (SP) Amandeep Singh said, “Two people have died in the explosion. The police have handled the situation,” said, adding that a large force has been deployed to maintain order.
Reportedly notorious for a fake gold coin racket, Hatia village allegedly has gangs that lure people by phone and sell counterfeit gold coins. Police have previously received several complaints and even issued public warnings through advertisements to caution potential victims.
Following a dispute that reportedly broke out between two rival groups associated with the racket on Friday night, the confrontation escalated into a violent clash, with both sides hurling bombs in the village’s streets and fields.
According to local sources, the conflict involves the local Trinamool Congress booth president Sheikh Naimuddin and his associate Sheikh Mustafir on one side, and Sheikh Monir, a key-figure in the fake coin racket, on the other side.
With police surveillance pushing them underground for months, Monir’s group is believed to have returned to the village and began manufacturing bombs near Chatim Pond early Saturday morning. It was during this that one of the bombs exploded accidentally, instantly killing Sabir and Alamgir instantly, while grievously injuring at least four others. The injured are currently being treated at the Bolpur Subdivisional Hospital, while eyewitnesses claim multiple bodies were mutilated in the blast.
Owing to tensions in the area, the police reportedly could not enter the village until 11 am on Saturday, till additional forces were brought in to restore control
BJP’s Birbhum district president Dhruv Saha alleged, “This is a clash between two Trinamool factions over fake gold coins. Though the official count is two, we hear three people have died. We demand an NIA investigation.”
This isn’t the first violent incident in Hatia. In March 2024, members of the same fake coin gang had vandalised a police vehicle, forcing the police to fire warning shots to disperse the mob.
Local resident Sheikh Nazrul Islam said, “Both groups are fighting to control the village. Since last night, crude bombs have been falling on the roads. One group was entering to take control, the other was resisting. That’s what the fight is about.”
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