India: Muslim Man and His Mother Killed in Accidental Rooftop Explosion While Allegedly Making Bombs

Image: Jihad Watch

A tragic explosion in a residential building in Bhubaneswar exposed an alleged illegal bomb-making operation that was being carried out inside a rented home. According to police reports, 26-year-old Shahnawaz Malik and his 51-year-old mother, Lizatun Bibi, were preparing crude explosive devices on the terrace of the house when a sudden and powerful blast occurred on January 27, 2026. The explosion was loud enough to be heard across the neighborhood, triggering panic among residents in the Azad Nagar locality under the jurisdiction of the Airfield Police Station. Both Malik and his mother suffered severe burn injuries and later died while undergoing treatment at separate hospitals, while two other individuals, including a close associate of Malik, remain critically injured.

Investigators stated that explosive materials were being handled at the time of the incident, and forensic teams recovered gunpowder residue along with fragments consistent with improvised explosive devices from the rooftop. Because the primary accused died in the blast, criminal proceedings against him will not continue, but authorities are examining whether any surviving associates could face charges under provisions of the Explosives Act and the Indian Penal Code. Electronic evidence, CCTV footage, and forensic samples are currently under analysis as part of the ongoing investigation. The rented property itself sustained significant structural damage due to the explosion.

The incident gained wider attention after a separate viral video circulated online in which a young Kashmiri Muslim woman expressed frustration that property owners were reluctant to rent accommodation to her after learning her religious identity, portraying the issue as discrimination in the housing market. In light of repeated incidents involving illegal activities in rented premises, the Bhubaneswar case has reignited debate about trust, safety, and risk perceptions among property owners.

Similar explosions linked to the alleged preparation of crude bombs have been reported in other parts of India over recent years. In December 2024, three men—identified as Sakirul Sarkar, Mamon Mollah, and Mustakin Shiekh—were killed in the Sagarpara area of Murshidabad district when explosives they were assembling detonated inside a house. Since the suspected bomb-makers died in the blast, no prosecutions followed, although investigations continued to determine whether others had supplied materials or assisted them.

Another fatal case emerged in October 2025 from the same district, where a man identified in reports as Usman Biswas died after a crude bomb allegedly exploded while he was preparing it at his residence. Police reportedly recovered multiple explosive devices from the site. In July 2025, yet another explosion in Rajoa village of Purba Bardhaman district resulted in one death and three injuries. The deceased, Barkat Sheikh, was allegedly involved in assembling explosives inside an abandoned structure, and investigators recovered bomb-making materials during the probe.

Earlier incidents also highlight the dangers associated with locally manufactured explosives. In April 2017, at least eight people were killed in Darbarpur village of Birbhum district when bombs reportedly being assembled amid local tensions exploded unexpectedly. Media reports at the time described ongoing clashes between neighboring areas prior to the blast, indicating that such devices were sometimes linked to local disputes rather than organized terror networks.

Outside West Bengal, a major explosion in 2019 at a carpet manufacturing unit in Bhadohi district, within Uttar Pradesh, allegedly involved the illegal storage and production of explosive materials. The blast killed 12 people, including the building owner Kaliyar Mansoori and his sons, and caused extensive damage to nearby structures. Several other victims were identified among workers and associates present at the site.

Taken together, these cases indicate recurring risks associated with the illegal preparation or storage of crude explosives in residential or semi-residential settings. In situations where suspects survive such blasts, police have typically registered cases under the Explosives Act and related criminal provisions. Importantly, many individuals involved in these incidents were described as local residents rather than members of major terrorist organizations, suggesting that such activities can sometimes emerge within ordinary community environments without prior suspicion. The Bhubaneswar explosion has once again drawn attention to the potential dangers posed by clandestine explosive activities operating within densely populated neighborhoods.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)