A new twist emerged on Sunday, two days after the explosion at a local Trinamool Congress leader's residence in East Midnapore district near the ancestral residence of Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari killed three persons on Friday.
While political slugfest between BJP and Trinamool Congress reached its peak over the development, Lata Rani Manna, wife of the deceased Trinamool Congress' booth president Rajkumar Manna, whose house was blown off because of the explosion, on Sunday aternoon, informed the police that the blast was because of the stocked illegal firecrackers at the residence.
According to Somnath Saha, local sub-division police officer, Lata Rani Manna informed the police that her deceased husband was involved in illegal firecrackers business and the explosion took place while the workers of the firecrackers factory were smoking there.
According to Saha, the wife of the deceased also informed the police that despite her severe objections, her husband continued to operate the illegal firecrackers business which ultimately took a toll on his life.
Besides, Rajkumar Manna, his cousin Debkumar Manna and a close associate Biswajit Gayen were also killed in the blast late Friday night. Saha said that the police have started an investigation accordingly.
Lata Rani Manna's confession has evoked fresh political slugfest, with both BJP and CPI(M) leadership describing her confession as a result of pressure from Trinamool Congress leadership and local administration.
BJP's state spokesman in West Bengal, Samik Bhattacharya, said it is clear from the nature of explosion that its sources were explosives meant for manufacturing of bombs.
"The nature of the explosion does not resemble that of firecracker fire. It is clear that the wife of the deceased is making this confession under pressure from the ruling party and the police," he said.
Echoing similar views, the CPI(M) central committee member, Sujan Chakraborty said that while series of explosions in West Bengal before the panchayat elections next year had been inspired by the Trinamool Congress, the source of confession on part of Lata Rani Manna was the same.
However, Trinamool Congress' state vice president, Jaiprakash Majumdar rubbished the allegations, and said that the investigation will be conducted on the basis of facts and evidence and not by the conjectures of the BJP and CPI(M) leaders.
(With inputs from IANS)
