A case of an explosion in a non-operational Madarsa was reported from the Banka district of Bihar on the morning of June 8 (Tuesday). The explosion led to the collapse of the roof and walls of the Madrasa causing damage to the nearby buildings. One person was reportedly killed while four others were injured in the incident. Police suspect an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) might have caused the blast.
A week into the blast, Bihar BJP has demanded a detailed investigation into the blast. The Hindu outfit Vishwa Hindu Parishad has also written to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar demanding that the details of the bomb blast be made public.
BJP said it should be probed how a bomb found its way inside such a place
In a statement issued, the BJP said, “It is an instance of administrative failure. How come a powerful explosive was concealed in a building and the local machinery was caught unawares.”
“We demand a high-level inquiry. A mosque is a place of worship. It must be known how a bomb found its way inside such a place”, the statement had added.
Raising concerns about the blast, BJP state spokesperson Arvind Singh was quoted by Hindi daily Jagran as saying that it should be looked into how the explosives got into the madarsa and who stored them, as well as why the explosives were kept there.
Moreover, Hari Bhushan Thakur, BJP MLA from Bisfi in Madhubani district, demanded that such ‘educational institutions’ be banned across the state. He said, “In madarsas and mosques in Bihar, education of terrorism is being given. Training to make bombs and to incite violence is given in madrasas. Children should be taken out from madarsas and given common education.”
Thakur, in a video post, added, “The minority community in Bihar has been harassing Dalits. Incidents of Jamui, Gopalganj and Purnia are examples. I want a thorough investigation into the incident to ascertain under what circumstances the explosion took place.”
Banka SP claims bomb was not powerful despite collapse of large portions of the madarsa structure
Facing criticism over the explosion in a madarsa, Banka Superintendent of Police Arvind Kumar Gupta said the explosion happened due to a crude bomb kept in a container. The officer has said that no terror angle has appeared during the investigation. The officer added that the bomb was not so powerful.
However, given that a large piece of the madarsa structure fell in the explosion, killing one and injuring four others, the officer’s claims has come under the scanner.
Meanwhile, reports claim that the National Investigation Agency has contacted the district administration and obtained a copy of the case’s FIR.
Bhagalpur zonal DIG Sujeet Kumar has informed that many residents of the village in Banka district, where the incident occurred, have left after the blast. “That is also a matter of investigation,” said Kumar.
Notably, the explosion took place inside the premises that was locked from outside and was believed to be empty due to COVID-19-induced lockdown. Hours later, the body of a man in his early 30s, thought to be the “imam” of a mosque located inside the same premises in the Nautola neighbourhood, was discovered by Bihar Police. According to authorities, the man died as a result of injuries sustained as a result of the bomb.
