West Bengal: West Bengal police conducted simultaneous raids and recovered 112 pieces of live bombs, six country-made weapons and arrested 399 people under specific and preventive sections in a massive crackdown on violence involving arms and explosives in the city on Saturday. "A simultaneous drive was held throughout Birbhum district and 112 pieces of live crude and socket bombs were recovered from - Nanoor (32), Labpur (40), Panrui (20), Sadaipur (9), Kankartala (9) and Rampurhat (2) - police station areas," stated Superintendent of Police (SP) Shyam Singh.

"399 persons - 65 persons in specific cases, 228 persons in preventive sections and 106 persons against pending cases - were arrested," he added. There has been a hike in the number of violent crimes involving arms and explosives in the region. Just recently, a blast had taken place at the old building of Panchayat Deputy health center in Birbhum. "Six country-made arms and ammunition were also recovered, one each from Sadaipur, Rampurhat, Dubrajpur, Nalhati, Mohammad Bazar and Labpur police station area," Singh said.