Five boys got injured as some crude bombs which they mistook as balls exploded on Sunday afternoon at a village in Malda district.

All the five injured are hospitalised.

Sources said Paltu Saha, Mithun Saha, Abdur Raihan, Subhajit Saha and Bikram Saha — all aged between eight to nine years — were playing at a mango orchard owned by Nikhil Saha of Gopalnagar village in Golapganj area under Kaliachak police station. While playing, the children came across a bag filled with ball-like objects in an isolated place near the orchard.

As soon as they touched the bag, the bombs exploded. Residents rushed to the orchard and found the boys lying on the ground, bleeding and groaning. Three of them were rushed to Malda Medical College and Hospital and two to Kaliachak block hospital.

A police team reached the spot and cordoned the site. Two bags with crude bombs were found from the locality and defused, said sources.

Angry residents have demanded stern steps. “A number of incidents occurred in Kaliachak when children touched crude bombs and were injured. Police should launch an extensive search to find out criminals who make and leave these bombs,” said Julfikar Ali, a resident of Gopalnagar.

Accident

Thirty persons, including seven children, were injured after the van they were in went off NH 31C and fell into a ditch in Nimati near Kalchini in Alipurduar district on Sunday.

Police sources said the van was heading towards Birpara from Samuktala when a truck came in front of the van. The driver lost control.

Arrests

Troops of the 137 battalion of Border Security Force (BSF) have apprehended two Indians, including a woman, from the India-Bangladesh border in South Dinajpur district on Saturday while the duo was trying to infiltrate Bangladesh. Among the arrested, Dilip Roy of Fatehpur village is allegedly a tout who helps people illegally cross the border.