Birbhum, 22 May (H.S.): Panic spread in West Bengal’s Birbhum district after the police recovered around 31 crude bombs from Kot village under Mallarpur police station area on Friday morning.

The explosives were found near a bamboo grove beside a pond at Chander Math area after local residents spotted several fresh bombs stacked together and alerted the police.

A large police team rushed to the spot, cordoned off the area and recovered the bombs. The bomb disposal squad was later called in and the explosives were safely defused.

According to local sources, Mallarpur police had conducted raids at several houses in the village late on Thursday night following specific intelligence inputs. Houses belonging to Abdul Sheikh, Barik Sheikh, Nasir Khan, Faizul Sheikh and Khokon Sheikh were among those searched.

Residents suspect the bombs may have been hidden inside one of the houses earlier and later dumped in the bamboo grove out of fear of police action after the raids.

The police have started an investigation to identify those responsible and determine why such a large quantity of explosives had been stored in the area.

The recovery of crude bombs after the recent elections has triggered fear among villagers and renewed concerns over illegal explosives in parts of Birbhum district.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey