Police recovered 41 crude bombs from a litchi plantation in South Lakshmipur area under Kaliachak police station in Malda district on Tuesday.

The police sources said the explosives were kept in two jerricans and were spotted by some local people who reached the plantation for daily chores.

They informed the police who reached the spot and cordoned the area. The police then called the bomb squad of the CID to defuse the explosives.

“Altogether, 41 crude bombs were seized the spot. The explosives have been defused. We are conducting a probe to know who had kept the bombs at the plantation,” said a police officer.

In Malda, some areas close to the India-Bangladesh border under Kaliachak police station are prone to violence and crime. Groups involved in criminal activities often indulge in clashes and use firearms and bombs.

Meanwhile, in Alipurduar, the police recovered three illegal firearms and some rounds of live cartridges from different locations of the district on Monday.

Manager arrested

The manager of a godown of an e-commerce company and four others have been arrested for organising a robbery at the godown.

On March 20, a gang of armed miscreants had barged into the godown, held the employees at gunpoint and decamped with over Rs 11 lakh.

Police said during interrogation, Nur Alam admitted planning the crime. He, along with four others, were arrested from North Dinajpur district and Chanchal.

“Some others involved in the crime would be named soon,” said a police officer.