A firearm was seized from the schoolbag of a Class IX student in South Dinajpur on Tuesday afternoon.

Police took the minor boy into custody and on Wednesday produced him before the juvenile justice board.

Arrangements are being made to send him to a juvenile home.

Sources said books were being distributed at the school on Tuesday. The boy collected the books and while he was putting them in the bag, his batch mates noticed that he was trying to conceal something. They informed the teachers who took the bag and searched it. The teachers found an improvised pistol and a live bullet inside.

The police were informed and they seized the firearm and the cartridge.

“We are trying to find out from where the boy got the firearm. Our officers are checking out whether he had carried the firearm earlier to the school,” said a police officer.

The incident has left the parents of other students concerned.

“We are worried about the safety of our children. How can a minor boy have access to a firearm and bullets? We will talk to the headmaster to ensure that such an incident is not repeated,” said a guardian.

The incident has made the Trinamul Congress and the BJP trade charges.

Sukanta Majumdar, the Balurghat MP, alleged that ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Trinamul was trying to foment tension in the district.

“We suspect Trinamul has hoarded illegal firearms and is trying to use even minor

students for anti-social activities ahead of the Parliament elections,” said Majumdar, who is also the state BJP president.

Subhash Chaki, the South Dinajpur district president of Trinamul, alleged that the BJP was trying to sensationalise the issue.

“The BJP resorts to different unethical tactics to create tension. In this district, the party is fast losing its support base. That is why the MP is trying to sensationalise a stray case to earn some political dividend,” he said.