Ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections in West Bengal, the Murshidabad district is witnessing a sharp rise in pre-poll volatility. In a major crackdown on Monday, the district police recovered a significant cache of live crude bombs from three sensitive areas—Suti, Samserganj, and Rejinagar. The recovery has sparked fears of potential political violence as the state moves closer to the first phase of polling on April 23.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, police teams conducted coordinated raids starting early Monday morning. In Suti, bombs were found hidden in bags in an abandoned orchard, while in Rejinagar, several socket bombs were discovered stashed inside plastic drums near a bush. The Bomb Disposal Squad was immediately pressed into service to neutralize the explosives. Local authorities believe these bombs were manufactured and stockpiled by anti-social elements to disrupt the electoral process and intimidate voters.

Murshidabad has a history of being a hotspot for political clashes, and the Election Commission has already flagged it as a “highly sensitive” zone. While the police have intensified patrolling and area-domination exercises, the repeated recovery of arms and explosives remains a major concern for the administration. Opposition parties have demanded increased deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces to ensure a peaceful environment for the upcoming elections.