Four people were killed when the crude bombs they were making exploded inIndia‘s West Bengal, where bitterly fought state elections are underway, a senior police official said on Monday.
Another six people were injured in the explosion on Sunday night in a village about 360 kilometres (220 miles) north of Kolkata, close to the eastern state’s border with Bangladesh.
“Four people were killed and six others injured when the bombs they were making exploded in a house at Baisnabnagar village,” said Anuj Sharma, West Bengal additional director general of police.
“The explosion rocked the area and damaged the house.”
Police were investigating the reasons for the bombmaking but no arrests have been made so far, Sharma said.
West Bengal is set to hold the final phase of staggered state elections on Thursday. Homemade bombs are sometimes planted by workers from rival political parties to intimidate voters ahead of polling day.
India has sent extra security forces to West Bengal for the election.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is battling left-wing rivals and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules at national level. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress party has also been hit by bitter infighting among its rival factions.
Two people were killed in March when their homemade bombs accidently exploded, also in West Bengal, while police in February recovered 80 crude bombs from the house of a local leader of the Trinamool Congress party, according to local media.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)