3 hurt as bomb explodes in court

Patna/Chhapra: The Chhapra civil court premises was rocked on Monday when a bomb kept inside the handbag of a woman, Khusboo Kumari, exploded around 8.30am. Khushboo belongs to village Jhouan Basant under Garkha police station area of Saran district. At least three people have been injured in the blast.
"Khusboo has sustained serious injuries in both her legs.After first aid, she has been referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital under police protection for treatment," said Saran SP Pankaj Kumar Raj.
Others who have received injuries are one Shweta Kumari (26) and her three-year-old daughter Shrishti. They have been admitted to Chhapra sadar hospital.
Some eyewitnesses said one more person sustained injury in the explosion, but he escaped from the incident site. However, this could not be confirmed.
Giving details of the incident, Shweta said, "I had come to appear in the CJM's court and was waiting on a bench outside the court building. In the meantime, a woman with burqa came and sat beside me."
"Soon after, the woman opened her purse. The moment she did so, the bomb exploded causing injury to us," Shweta said.
The SP said after the incident, dog squad was used to get some clue about the blast, but it was not of much help.
Police sources said the bomb carried by Khusboo may have been meant to target a complainant in a triple murder case. In this case, three persons were shot dead at the residence of Maharajganj Lok Sabha MP, late Uma Shankar Singh, in July, 2014. The deceased were identified as Mani Bhushan Singh of Jhouan Basant village, Dinesh Rai, driver, and Devendra Kumar Singh, mukhiya of Satjora panchayat under Panapur block.
Later, Shashi Bhushan Singh, brother of deceased Mani Bhushan, had lodged an FIR with Town PS.
A police source said, "Shashi Bhushan was to appear in the CJM court in that case on Monday. Earlier, on September 20, 2014, an attempt was made to eliminate Shashi by hurling a bomb from the first floor of the civil court as he got down from his vehicle along with other witnesses."
ADG (HQ) Sunil Kumar said ADG (law and order) Alok Raj has reached Chhapra and supervising investigations. He has suspended one police officer and six constables for dereliction of duty. Kumar said Khusboo Kumari had once earlier gone to jail in a murder case.