Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Feb 22: A cache of crude bombs was recovered during a late-night police raid at a hotel in Bolpur in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, allegedly owned by a local leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), officials said on Sunday.

The operation was carried out jointly by personnel from two police stations at the hotel reportedly owned by Babu Das, a TMC leader and husband of Sangita Das, a councillor of Ward No. 1 under the Bolpur Municipality. While a significant police force was deployed during the raid, Babu Das remains untraceable, and no official statement has yet been issued by the Trinamool Congress regarding the incident.

Sources said the hotel is situated near Prantik railway station in Bolpur. Acting on specific intelligence inputs that crude bombs were being assembled on the premises, a large contingent led by Bolpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rickey Agarwal conducted the search operation.

Seven individuals were detained from the hotel and are currently being interrogated in connection with the seizure. Police have registered a case and launched a detailed investigation to determine the role of those detained and to identify any additional persons involved.

A senior police officer confirmed that the area was immediately cordoned off after the discovery. “Crude bombs were found stored on the premises. Necessary safety measures have been taken, and the bomb disposal squad will defuse the explosives. The Investigating Officer will supervise the probe to ascertain the full extent of the network and those connected,” the officer said.

Police sources also indicated that there had been prior allegations of unlawful activities at the hotel, including claims of a prostitution racket operating from the property.

Reacting to the development, state BJP spokesperson Jagannath Chatterjee alleged that the premises had been used as a local party office and claimed that residents had previously complained about intimidation and extortion.