A ragpicker was injured in a blast that took place in central Kolkata on Saturday. According to officials, the explosion occurred when the man was "near a plastic bag" at the crossing of Blochmann Street and SN Banerjee Road. BJP sought the Home Ministry’s intervention in the incident.
"The injured person was identified as 58-year-old Bapi Das, who lives on a footpath beside S N Banerjee Road. He is a ragpicker," the officer said.
The area was cordoned off and a bomb disposal squad was deployed on the site.
Meanwhile, shortly after the blast, West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking an NIA investigation.
"Given the seriousness of the incident and its potential implications for public safety, I respectfully request that the Ministry of Home Affairs initiate a thorough investigation to determine the cause of this explosion due to the local police's limited capacity,” the letter read.
The Kolkata police said that the Bomb Detection Disposal Squad (BDDS) checked the vicinity and it was after their clearance, traffic was allowed in the region.
On Friday, an unclaimed bag at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital had created panic among people. A junior doctor was allegedly raped and murdered at the hospital on August 9 and since then doctors have been protesting demanding justice for the victim.
