Kolkata: Seven people died and several others were injured after a massive explosion took place at a firecracker factory in East Midnapore district of West Bengal on Tuesday. 

The explosion was so strong that the roof of the house where the crackers were being made was blown off. Police said that the factory was illegal.  West Bengal government has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

BJP leader Agnimitra Paul has besieged the Bengal government regarding this incident. Agnimitra said that when it comes to the industry in West Bengal, bomb factories are everywhere, because whenever there is a blast, first it is known that there was a blast in the firecrackers factory, but later when the investigation is done, it is found that it was a blast. There was a bomb-making factory and it has links with various terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda. Earlier we have also seen in Medinipur, Asansol.

CM Mamata Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh to the next of kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 1 lakh to the injured.

Police have reached the spot after the incident. The police have cordoned off the entire area. The police are probing whether the blast took place only because of the firecrackers kept there or due to the explosion of crude bombs made there under the guise of a firecracker factory. Locals have claimed that the firecracker factory is running illegally without obtaining a license from the local administration. The police are also complicit in this.

The local people have also claimed that the local administration has also taken action against the illegal firecracker factory in the area. But this work was done secretly. There was also a blast in Bhupatinagar in December last year. Many people were injured. A Trinamool Congress leader and another were killed.

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