Minor killed in suspected crude bomb blast in Bengal's Hooghly

A seven-year-old boy was killed in a suspected crude bomb blast in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Monday. Two other minor boys also sustained severe injuries in the blast that occurred in Pandua and are undergoing treatment in a hospital.

Sources told India Today TV that a number of children were playing beside a pond in Pandua's Netajipalli Colony. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard in the area, and residents rushed to the spot where they found some children unconscious.

The three boys were rushed to the Pandua Hospital first, where one was declared brought dead.

Due to the critical condition of the two others, they were referred to the Chunchura Imambara Hospital.

The Hooghly Rural Police are investigating the matter.

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee was scheduled to hold an election rally in support of party candidate Rachna Banerjee from the Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency in Pandua today.

Local BJP MP Locket Chatterjee has accused the Trinamool Congress of being involved in the blast.

She claimed it was the politics of fear mongering of the state's ruling party ahead of Abhishek Banerjee's rally in Pandua.

The incident came a day ahead of the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday in West Bengal. Four constituencies in the state will head to the polls.