Forensic team picks samples from blast site

EOI, Darjeeling, 5 April 2017: A two-member forensic team from Kolkata arrived today in Darjeeling to take samples from the mysterious explosion in a house in Bhotay Busty that injured two persons last Thursday.

On the evening of March 31, a sudden explosion injured Lucky Bhutia (11) and Hemlata Subba (56) who are presently recuperating in a Siliguri hospital. As the police and the fire department failed to ascertain the cause of the blast, the services of forensic experts from Kolkata were requisitioned.

After collecting samples from the blast site, the forensic officials said it was too early to say what had caused the explosion but did not rule out the LPG factor. “On preliminary investigation, it looks like a gas explosion. We collected samples for examination at our laboratory in Kolkata,” said Debasish Saha, one of the forensic officials from Belgachia.

On the question of the possible timeframe to submit their report, N. Ghatak, the second official, said, “It will take at least 15 to 30 days for us to complete our investigation."

The house at Bhotay Busty where the blast occurred belongs to Keshar Rai, one of the accused in the All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leader Madan Tamang murder, who was hacked to death by armed assailants on May 21, 2010 while overseeing preparations for a public meeting at Upper Clubside.