Multiple crude bombs exploded inside a closed club room in the Paikpara area of north Kolkata early on Saturday morning, triggering panic in the densely populated neighbourhood but leaving no one injured, according to police. The incident has prompted a police investigation into who stored the explosives and why they were kept there.
Bomb blasts have begun in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly elections. This incident occurred in Paikpara, Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/TOQKsyXuNg
— Marimo 🪷 (@marimo_li) March 7, 2026
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The explosions occurred at around 6:11 am, when two to three crude bombs that had been stored inside the locked club room suddenly went off. The force of the blast damaged the structure, causing the tin roof of the club room to collapse onto the roof of a nearby five-storey residential building.
Bomb disposal squad recovers more explosives
Following the blasts, police and bomb disposal personnel rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent any further risk to residents. During the search operation, authorities discovered additional crude bombs inside the premises.
Officials said the bomb squad recovered five to six crude bombs from the club room and successfully defused them before they could explode. Investigators are now trying to determine who stored the explosives in the abandoned structure and what their intended purpose might have been.
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The loud explosions jolted residents of the locality out of their homes in the early morning hours. People gathered near the site as police secured the area and began preliminary investigations.
A local resident suggested that the unused club room had not been frequented for years and could have been used by miscreants to stash explosives. “The room has been lying unused for a long time. Someone may have kept the bombs there to create trouble,” the resident said.
Political reactions emerge
The incident quickly triggered political reactions amid the charged political atmosphere in West Bengal.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the bombs may have been kept by miscreants linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) to create fear among voters ahead of elections. He claimed the alleged attempt was meant to intimidate the electorate as the party’s support base was weakening.
The TMC rejected the allegations. Party spokesperson Trinankur Bhattacharya said the BJP was trying to politicise an isolated incident that police were already investigating. He added that the law and order situation in West Bengal remained better than in several BJP-ruled states.
Investigation underway
Police officials said a detailed probe is underway to identify the individuals responsible for storing the explosives in the club room. Investigators are examining the site and speaking with local residents as part of the inquiry.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the bombs were kept there deliberately to cause disturbance in the area, though the exact motive remains unclear.
