Blast damages madrassa building in Bihar's Banka

BANKA: A massive explosion extensively damaged a madrassa building adjacent to a mosque in Banka district of Bihar around 8am on Tuesday. No one, however, died or was injured in the blast.
The sound of the explosion was so loud that people of Navtolia village under Banka Sadar police station area started running helter-skelter amid thick smoke billowing from the madrassa building, local sources said.
“Banka SP Arvind Kumar Gupta is at the explosion site and has started investigation,” Bhagalpur zonal DIG Sujeet Kumar said while on way to Navtolia village in the afternoon.
When asked about the kind of explosives used in the blast, the DIG said the forensic science laboratory (FSL) experts will investigate whether any explosive was used or not. “So far we have not received information about injury to any person. We are gathering more details,” he said.
Banka SP Arvind Kumar Gupta said the FSL team has initiated investigations. “We are investigating the incident with open mind and will come to any conclusion only after the FSL report. Locals are also being interrogated to gather more details,” he said.
The locals suspect that the explosion was the result of illegal activities being carried out by some antisocial elements as the madrassa building was stated to be closed for more than a month due to Covid-induced lockdown. Police are, however, tight-lipped about the reason behind the explosion.