Police have arrested a 17-year-old Class X dropout allegedly for making bombs at his home in South 24-Parganas.

Police said the accused made bombs by taking lessons from YouTube.

“The boy dropped out of school and used to remain glued to his cellphone at home. During preliminary interrogation, the boy has confessed that he learned to make bombs by watching YouTube videos,” a police source said.

The minor, who was arrested on Monday, was produced before an additional chief judicial magistrate’s court. The court sent him to seven days’ police custody.

The police said the boy had also confessed that he planned to use the bombs on some of his “rivals” who had recently humiliated him.

Local sources said that the son of a small businessman left school while in Class X and began searching for jobs.

His expertise in bomb-making came to light only after he detonated some bombs as “test blasts” at a bushy deserted ground on Saturday night. No one was injured in the blast. However, it unleashed panic among residents, who informed the police and requested an investigation.

Beginning the probe, the police got some tip-off about the school dropout’s suspicious movement on Saturday night. The sleuths also recovered some bombs from the blast spot. According to police sources, the bombs were also found hidden at a place on the road in front of the house of the accused.

The police on Sunday afternoon carried out a raid at his residence, where unfinished bombs and crude ingredients were found. During the interrogation, he broke down and confessed to making bombs.

“Questioning the family members, it was found that the boy was of a very calm and quiet nature. He used to spend the whole day sitting in his home behind closed doors. If someone entered his room, he used to get angry. He also did not welcome a long stay by any relative at their home,” a police officer said

“Recently the accused boy had a problem with some youths in the area. It was then that he thought of making bombs to punish them. So he began watching YouTube videos to make bombs and gathered the necessary raw materials. We are trying to trace the supplier of raw materials. After making some sample bombs he detonated it,” the police officer added.

A resident said: “Late on Saturday night, a deafening sound disrupted our sleep and we rushed out to find smoke rising from an isolated place in the vicinity. We got scared and immediately informed the police.”