A farmer suffered critical injuries when a suspected mine detonator exploded in Jalpaiguri on Friday.

Debasish Baidya, a 22-year-old resident of Gochimari village in the Kranti block of Jalpaiguri district, was on his agricultural field on the bank of the Teesta.

“He found a canister-shaped container and picked it up. It exploded and he suffered critical injuries. Two others, who were nearby, were also injured,” said a source.

Hearing the sound of the explosion, others rushed for help. Debasish has been admitted to the super-specialty hospital in Jalpaiguri.

Arms and ammunition of the army had been swept away by the Teesta from the upper reaches of Sikkim in the flash flood on On October 4.

A number of such items were later recovered from Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts.

Earlier, a minor boy had died and his family members were injured at another village in the Kranti block after his father had tried to break open a mortar shell. The army has recovered a number of shells and other items and defused them at deserted locations.

“The item which exploded today seems to be a mine detonator, which is also used by the army. It might have been swept away by the river. We ask villagers who stay on either bank of the Teesta to refrain from touching such items. A section is not paying heed and such incidents happen,” said a police source.

Constable ‘suicide’

A police constable posted as the security guard of a judge allegedly shot himself
dead with his service revolver in Jalpaiguri on Friday morning. Ranjit Rajbanshi, 35, was from Harishchandrapur in Malda district. He was found dead in his room at the government housing complex in Racecoursepara in Jalpaiguri town.