Such was the force of the explosion that several body parts were found hanging from the trees nearby. Cars parked near the factory were also damaged.
At least 12 people were killed after a huge explosion took place at an illegal firecracker factory in Brahmanabar Village in West Bengal's Midnapore District on Wednesday, according to police. The incident has sparked off a fresh row of accusations by parties over political violence in the state, alleging that the facility was being used to make bombs.
"Prima facie evidence indicates it was a firecracker factory which was running illegally. The bomb disposal team which was here has confirmed it was a firecracker and also eye witnesses and those who have survived," said SN Gupta, Inspector General (Western Range) of the West Bengal Police. The owner of the house where the factory was functioning has been arrested.
Those who arrived immediately at the blast site say the sight was gruesome - body parts scattered all over, some hanging off nearby trees even hours later. Locals reported seeing a huge fire when they ran to the site after the blast.
"If people are flung to the top of trees, it is the work of a chocolate bomb or something bigger. If people are hurled 300 metres, then can it be a chocolate bomb?" added Tapan Maiti, another villager.
Some locals claimed that bombs used in political clashes were made in the factory. The police are investigating these claims but are not willing yet to second local perceptions.
The BJP and the Congress have raised the specter of the Burdwan blast of October 2, 2014, after this incident. The CPM too has taken an aggressive stance on the issue. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a CID investigation in the blast, but the opposition parties are demanding that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the nodal agency of terrorism-related investigations, as was done with the Burdwan incident.