Bomb blast on Nadia school rooftop; another live device recovered

A crude bomb explosion on the rooftop of a school in Nadia district of West Bengal on Saturday triggered panic and heightened security concerns ahead of the assembly elections , though no injuries were reported, officials said.

The blast occurred at Ghordagacha Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra in the Saguna panchayat area of the Kalyani assembly constituency . According to officials, the explosion happened about 30 minutes after students had left the campus following an examination. A few teachers and non-teaching staff were still inside the premises when a loud explosion was heard from the rooftop.

Teachers rushed upstairs and found that a crude bomb had already exploded. During a search of the rooftop, they also discovered another live bomb lying nearby, which immediately prompted them to alert the police. Security personnel soon reached the school and cordoned off the area , while bomb disposal teams examined the device.

Initial reports indicated that the explosion caused minor damage to the roof structure , with burnt marks and debris visible at the spot. Police have begun scanning CCTV footage and questioning local residents to determine how the explosives were brought into the school building.

Sub-Divisional Officer of Kalyani Pritam Saha said an investigation is underway to identify those responsible. Meanwhile, Election Commission observer P Siva Sankar visited the site along with security personnel and reviewed the situation.

The incident quickly sparked a political row. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress accused workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party of planting the bombs to create unrest before polling, while the BJP rejected the allegation and blamed the state government for deteriorating law and order.

The explosion has raised concerns over safety in the run-up to the elections. Authorities have already deployed central forces and intensified security measures across the state to ensure peaceful polling.

Polling in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29 , while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4 .