Businessman Jageshwar Prasad Gupta points out marks of an explosion on the wall of his house at Lodhi Katra in Patna City on Thursday. Picture by Sachin

Patna, Feb. 23: Criminals allegedly threw crude bombs this morning at the three-storeyed house of a businessman in the Lodhi Katra area under Khajekala police station in the state capital, apparently because he had refused to cough up an extortion amount.

Sources said when the incident occurred around 6am, the businessman, 42-year-old Jageshwar Prasad Gupta, and his family members were sleeping. Police, however, claimed that no bomb had been detonated. Instead, said the cops, it was only a firecracker.

“There was an explosion but we do not think it was a crude bomb. We believe it was firecracker. Gupta has houses at Lodhi Katra and Gulzarbagh. We are investigating the matter,” said an officer at Khajekala police station.

Gupta and his neighbours, however, claimed that the explosion was of a very high intensity. No one, however, was injured in the blast.

“The explosion was very loud. All the residents of the neighbourhood were shocked by the sound. No one saw who threw the bombs because everyone was sleeping then,” said Gupta.

He added: “Around 10.30pm on February 21, my brother Deepak Kumar got a call on his cellphone. The caller identified himself as Aryan and asked us to give him Rs 25 lakh. He also abused my brother and him to take the money to Patna Sahib Railway Station by 11.30am on February 22. We immediately lodged an FIR at the Alamganj police station.”

The complaint was lodged at the Alamganj police station, as Deepak, 38, looks after the business of a family-owned grocery shop at Gulzarbagh. They — along with their two brothers — own another grocery shop and a wholesale shop at Patna City.

“On February 22, Aryan called twice on my brother’s phone around 9.30pm. He told us that as we had not given him the money, we should now be ready for the consequences. He also said: ‘Tumhara kaam khatam ho gaya, aab hamara kaam shuru hoga (Your work is complete, now our work will begin.)’,” said Gupta.

He added: “We fear the incident today was a warning. The cops have not been able to make any breakthrough. My family is very scared.” The family comprises 15 members including the four brothers, their wives and children.

The officers at Alamganj police station said they had not yet been able to find out who the caller was. “Investigations are on. The call records are being checked. The police will zero in on the criminals very soon,” an officer at the police station said.

Sources said the infamous extortion ring in the state — that had become dormant over the past few years — has become active once again.