Crude bomb recovered in West Tripura ahead of panchayat polls

Agartala: With just a week left for the three-tier panchayat polls in Tripura, there was widespread panic following the recovery of a handmade bomb in Banikya Chowmuhani area under Bodhjung Nagar police station in West Tripura on Friday. As soon as the locals of the area found the explosive in an abandoned plastic bag from the garbage dumping area, they informed the police station.

Speaking with media persons, Bodhjung Nagar police station officer In-charge Sukanta Sen Choudhury rushed to the spot along with his team as soon they received the information.

“We have moved all the locals from the spot to a safe distance. We also poured water and some sacks of sand over the bomb to ensure that it does not explode. The bomb squad was also informed about the case after which a team from Agartala rushed to the spot,” the OC said.

Preliminary investigation said it was a crude bomb kept there with an intention to spread tension.

The recovery of the bomb prior to the civic elections indicated the intention of a section of the people trying to create panic among the masses. The police have filed a case and investigation is going on to find further details about the incident.

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Meanwhile, Congress vice-president Tapas Dey said that the ruling BJP is scared of their defeat on the remaining seats, that is why even after winning over 86% of the seats in the panchayat polls, goons of the party are trying to create tension among the mass.

“Many such cases are likely to come up as polls are ahead. They (BJP) are leaving no stones unturned to ensure that they win all the seats by threatening, attacking and even giving bribes to the people,” Dey added.

Meanwhile, BJP state spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee said that the Congress party even failed to file nominations for the polls and is now trying to make politics out of it. “The police and the authorities concerned will deal with the matter. Let the police do their job and not make politics out of everything,” he added.

The three-tier panchayat polls will take place on July 27 between 8 am and 4 pm and the counting of polls will be done on July 31 from 8 am onwards.

The election was called in for 6,111 gram panchayats, 419 panchayat samitis and 116 zilla parishads, of which in 86% seats have already been won by the ruling BJP uncontested.