Price of cooking gas has risen, petrol is almost Rs 100 per litre, even chicken isn’t as cheap as before. Amidst the rising prices we have a high stakes election in West Bengal. Of course this has affected the prices of crude bombs in Kolkata.
The Bengal bomb making industry now demands a price hike of Rs 150 to 300 above what each bomb costed during the last Panchayat or the Lok Sabha elections. This data is as per the information with the police and the intelligence agency. The price hike has definitely increased the demand for low cost bombs using a modified methodology that keeps the bombs as lethal as before.
Crude bombs are rampant in Amdanga, Sason and some parts of Sandeshkhali and Baruipur in North 24 Parganas. According to the police the demand for crude bombs is high round the year, but highest during the elections. Criminals and muscle men connected with various political parties have started stocking up their reserves to weather the upcoming elections. Various areas in these Jelas are ramping up their Crude bomb production with skilled workforce from other states. The ingredients for these crude bomb factories are delivered at the factory doorsteps by an already existing set of distributors who charge a hefty commission for this service.
According to the Intelligence and police sources, crude hand bombs are in most demand because they are the cheapest and can be easily produced. Round the year these crude bombs use ball bearing and glass as splinters, but during the election season, a different flavour of these crude bombs come around. From shaving blades to fish hooks and bones, are used as splinters so that they can be as lethal during the election bombing.
Last Lok Sabha elections each crude bomb costed about Rs 250, but this year after the hike these bombs cost about Rs 350 to 400 each.
Box bombs are considered better than crude hand bombs, where they use steel cans, from kitchen masala products, with red explosive powder mix that is more effective. During the recent raids a lot of these box bombs have been recovered. The box bombs used to cost Rs 400 to 450 each, but with a price hike of 200 to 250, now their rate are Rs 600 to 650 each.
Most effective are the pin bombs, though craftsmen for these are difficult to find. Pin bombs are like hand grenades, must have their pins removed before being thrown at. Their price was about Rs 500 before, but according to the police, they are now high priced in the market costing about Rs 700 to 800 each.