Over 50 fresh bombs recovered from hotel in Shantiniketan, 7 held

Panic gripped Shantiniketan in Birbhum district on Sunday morning after police recovered a large number of fresh bombs from a hotel in the Prantik area of Bolpur. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team comprising local police, the bomb disposal squad and fire brigade personnel raided the premises and began defusing the explosives. At least 50 fresh bombs along with explosive materials were seized from the spot.

Police sources said information was received early in the morning that bombs were being manufactured inside the hotel. Following the raid, the area was cordoned off and heavy police deployment was made to prevent any untoward incident. The bomb squad continued operations for several hours to safely neutralise the explosives recovered from the premises.

Seven people have been detained in connection with the case so far. Investigators suspect that more individuals could be involved in the alleged manufacturing and storage of the bombs. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Riki Agarwal confirmed that the operation was carried out based on confidential inputs and that a detailed investigation is underway.

The hotel is situated in a densely populated locality under Ward No. 1 of Bolpur Municipality, heightening concerns over public safety, especially for tourists and local residents. Authorities have assured that all necessary precautions are being taken to secure the area.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the hotel has links with local Trinamool Congress leaders, claiming that individuals close to Bolpur Municipality Chairperson Sangita Das and Minister Chandranath Sinha are associated with its operations. The Trinamool Congress has not issued an official response. Police have stated that strict action will be taken against those found guilty after a fair investigation.