Following the fatal explosion on May 16 in Khadikul village, Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal, the community is still dealing with the terrifying loss of lives, particularly women and children. Madhabi Bag, a 33-year-old mother, was among the victims, and her eight-year-old son, Anshu, is the last survivor of the house. The explosion occurred in an illegal cracker manufacturing operation where Madhabi Bag had been working for the past three months for a wage of ₹200 per day. The village, which is otherwise alive with birds and graced with fruit trees, is now filled with many children who have lost their mothers.The May 16th incidentAkash, a 13-year-old from the village, described the tragic day. When he first heard the blast, he assumed it was connected to some bomb testing. When he stepped outdoors, however, he was met with a chaotic sight of fire engulfing the surroundings. Anshu and Akash are not alone in their grief five of the nine people killed in the explosion were women. Shyamashree Maity, Kavita Bag, Minati Maity, Ambika Maity, and Madhabi Bag are those unfortunate women. These women, in their thirties and forties, left behind little children while Pinky Maity, a 26-year-old victim, is fighting for her life in a Kolkata hospital with grave injuries. Pinkys eight-year-old kid, Subharanjan, now lives with a local neighbour after his mother took over the work following his fathers medical condition.#WATCH | West Bengal | People in Khadikul village of Egra in Purba Medinipur district protest and raise slogans as a TMC delegation visits the area.An explosion occurred at an illegal firecracker factory here yesterday. Nine people died in the incident. pic.twitter.com/YtcyJgluDx— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2023The explosions aftermath left the once impressive construction of the illegal unit in rubble, with roof and wall pieces scattered across surrounding rice fields. The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Departments bomb disposal unit was still gathering bags full of stuff from the location 48 hours later. Villagers in Khadikul were brave to say that the unlawful unit, disguised as a cracker factory, was actually building crude bombs. Kavita Bag, a relative of one of the victims, claimed that Bhanu Bag (the prime accused) used his influence to convince others to work for him. Behind the illegal unit is a big pond, which some residents believe was used to keep explosives cold. Several dead had to be rescued from the pond following the blast.The tragedy in Khadikul village is not an isolated occurrence. In the past, too, the area has been troubled by explosions, which were frequently tied to illegal operations associated with Bhanu Bag. The unlawful troops continued to function despite past accidents and deaths. The main culprit, Bhanu Bag, had previously been detained and freed on bail. Following his injuries in the May 16 blast, he died in a hospital in Odisha.
