Rooftop Inferno in Bhubaneswar: Bomb Blast Claims Lives, Exposes Dark Underbelly
A deadly rooftop bomb blast in Bhubaneswar’s Azad Nagar killed suspected criminal Shahnawaz Malik and his mother, prompting an NIA probe into possible links with extortion and land-grab networks.
On January 27, a massive rooftop blast ripped Azad Nagar in Bhubaneswar, killing four people with devastating burns, and exposing a suspected bomb-making operation in the centre of a residential area. Shahnawaz Malik, a man with criminal past, charged with the Arms Act and the attempt-to-murder case, died days later of his injuries, and was followed by his mother, Lizatun Bibi, a few days later. With gunpowder being discovered on the blast scene as investigators continued working on the blast site, the shocking event has now attracted the attention of the national agencies and serious concern is being raised by the agencies regarding the possibility of criminal networks that are running unnoticed in the city.
Midnight Explosion Breaks the Silence of Azad Nagar
It was a peaceful winter evening in Azad Nagar, the Bhubaneswar neighbourhood when a rooftop blast tore the neighbourhood in shatters on January 27. The deafening bang was first heard by residents, windows were shaking, children were screaming, smoke was curling in the air. In a few minutes the terrace of a small house was gutted down into flames. What appeared to be some accident appeared to be much more sinister the next moment: it turned out that crude bombs were actually being prepared when they went off.
A Deadly Past Catches Up
One of the critically injured persons was a man, Shahnawaz Malik, whose criminal record with the local police involved previous violations by the Arms Act, and who was reportedly involved in two instances of attempt to murder. He sustained critical burns as a result of the explosion. Malik died on February 4 or 5 after a few days of treatment. His mother, Lizatun Bibi who was also a victim of the blast struggled to survive until February 10 or 11. Truptimayee Mahal who was the fiance of Malik was also seriously injured. The supposed undercover mission turned into an unavoidable and final tragedy that took lives in the same family.
Bigger Network Suspected, NIA Steps In
The magnitude of the explosion and the criminal history of Malik made the National Investigation Agency (NIA) assume the investigation. Gunpowder and explosives were found on the rooftop and the suspicions that the activity had been organised were further increased. The police are currently examining potential connexions with extortion rackets and land-grab businesses that have been conducted in and around Bhubaneswar.
It was not only an explosion, but a warning. An example of how the criminal networks when unchecked can transform residential areas into time bombs. The haze might be gone out of the skyline of Azad Nagar, but that is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the investigation is concerned.
