4 including priest injured in crude bomb blast at Cumilla temple

At least four people have been injured in an explosion of a cocktail bomb left by miscreants at a temple in Cumilla city.

The explosion occurred around 6:30 pm on Saturday at the Kali Gachhtala Shiv Mandir in South Thakurpara (Baganbari) area of the city and its surroundings. Temple priest Keshob Chakraborty was injured in the cocktail blast at the Shiv Mandir, and three others were injured in a cocktail explosion on a nearby road. The injured have been admitted to Cumilla General and Medical College Hospital.

Witnesses said sanatan followers, including the priest, were performing Shani puja at the temple in the Thakurpara area of the city in the evening when a sudden cocktail explosion occurred.

They said at 6:28 pm, a masked person entered the temple carrying a bag. Several others were seen standing nearby. At one point after placing the bag, the masked person fled. A cocktail explosion then occurred at the spot, injuring temple priest Keshob Chakraborty. He was later admitted to hospital.

Meanwhile, after the incident, miscreants set off two more cocktail bombs near the adjacent Buddhist temple and BRAC office while fleeing. Three more people were injured in these blasts. Two of them were admitted to Cumilla Sadar Hospital. The injured are A Barek, son of Sujat Ali from Thakurpara Baganbari area, and Jihad, son of Nazrul Islam. The identity of the other injured person could not be known. The injured left after receiving primary treatment at the hospital.