Crude bombs were hurled at the house of ABP Ananda correspondent Gopal Chatterjee in Birbhum’s Suri early on Tuesday, with the journalist suspecting that illegal sand-miners were behind the attack.

Within two hours of the incident, unidentified miscreants threw similar bombs in front of the bungalow of district magistrate Moumita Godara Basu in Suri.

Chatterjee said he had reported on illegal stocking of sand recently and mentioned such miners in his police complaint.

The police have started probes into both the incidents. “We have started investigations into both incidents. No one has been arrested so far,” district police chief Shyam Singh said.

Police sources said unidentified miscreants had hurled three bombs at a bedroom on the first floor of Chatterjee’s two-storey house around 12.30am. Chatterjee was not at home then. He was in Bolpur, around 30km away. His elder brother and sister-in law were inside the house.

Chatterjee said a window glass was broken, and a water pipeline and AC damaged by the bombs.

Asked whether he had sought security after the incident, the journalist said: “The district police chief himself came to investigate and asked whether I needed any security. I told them I don’t need it.”

Outside DM Godara Basu’s bungalow, at least five to six bombs were lobbed. “I heard explosions around 2.30am. I thought it might be the sound of truck’s tyres bursting as my bungalow is beside the national highway,” the DM said.

Bomb squad personnel inspected the spot, the bungalow’s security was increased and the DM given a pilot car for visits. “We have found the remnants of the bombs,” a police officer said.

The police sources said they suspected a section of sand dealers in this attack, too, as the administration had recently cracked down on illegal sand stocking. Cases have been filed against 132 sand miners. They have been fined up to Rs 10 crore each.