Kolkata: A blast occurred on Saturday afternoon at the intersection of Blochmann Street and S.N. Banerjee Road in Central Kolkata, leaving a 58-year-old ragpicker named Bapi Das injured. Das, who lives on the footpath of S.N. Banerjee Road, sustained an injury to his right wrist from the explosion.
The incident took place around 1:45 PM, according to sources. Authorities from Taltala Police Station were promptly notified. Upon arrival, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) found that Das had already been transported to NRS Hospital for medical attention.
A plastic gunny bag was found at the entry point of Blochmann Street, prompting the police to cordon off the area with security tape. The Bomb Disposal and Detection Squad (BDDS) was called in to investigate. After thoroughly inspecting the bag and the surrounding vicinity, BDDS personnel declared the area safe, allowing normal traffic flow to resume.
An eyewitness recounted the incident, stating, “We were standing nearby when the explosion happened. We rushed to the spot and found a ragpicker lying on the ground, injured. The sound of the blast was very loud. Police quickly arrived and took the injured man to the hospital. The area was cordoned off, and traffic was halted for some time. Thankfully, no one else was injured.”
Bapi Das, who recently began residing on the footpath and has no formal occupation, is currently receiving treatment at the hospital. His statement is yet to be recorded, pending his recovery. Forensic teams and police are actively investigating the incident to determine the cause and nature of the blast.