Bhubaneswar: A powerful explosion during the illegal assembly of a crude bomb in Sundarpada area of Bhubaneswar claimed the lives of Shahnawaz Malik (26) and his mother Lizatun Bibi (51), while three others sustained critical injuries, police said.
Malik, described as a repeat offender with prior explosives-related charges, was allegedly assembling the device at his residence when it detonated. Among the injured are his fiancée Truptimayee Mahal and associate Amiya Ranjan Mallick, who are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe to examine possible terror or organised crime links. Investigators recovered gunpowder and bomb-making materials from the site and are analysing forensic evidence and digital records to identify wider networks.
Police suspect the group may have been planning the explosive for revenge or extortion-related activities, though the motive is still under investigation.
Officials warned that the incident underscores the grave risks of homemade explosives and the growing nexus between local crime and illegal bomb-making, calling for stricter surveillance and enforcement against illegal explosives.
-OdishaAge
