Ahead of Phase 2 of the West Bengal Assembly elections, a major security alert has emerged after the recovery of around 100 crude bombs in South 24 Parganas district’s Bhangar area. Acting swiftly, the Election Commission of India has directed that all cases related to bomb-making and explosive recovery in the state be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), marking a significant escalation in election security oversight. According to officials, the bombs were recovered during a police search operation at the residence of a local individual identified as Rafikul Islam, based on specific intelligence inputs. The seizure has raised serious concerns, given the timing — just days before voting in Phase 2 on April 29. The Election Commission has also instructed West Bengal Police to launch a special statewide drive to identify and arrest those involved in the manufacture and storage of illegal explosives.