In a shocking incident, unidentified persons hurled an improvised explosive device (IED) into the house of a furniture showroom owner, which was then picked up by his 12-year-old son, but fortunately did not explode.

The incident occurred at about 10 pm on Friday night in Sector XII/A of the Bokaro Steel Township, when Vinay Dey, who runs a furniture showroom in Telidih, identified the device taken indoors by his son as a bomb, and threw it outside.

Police reached the spot immediately and the bomb was defused on Saturday morning by the bomb disposal squad.

Police said that the bomb was active and powerful enough to cause fatalities.

Residents of the BSL Township are shocked as such an incident is rare in the peaceful city.

“The IED contains gelatine sticks attached to the battery, wires and motor. The incident when Dey, his wife and his son were inside the house. There is a mango tree in the house. Hearing the sound of something dropping in the courtyard, his son thought it was mango and ran outside to get it,” said DSP Gyan Ranjan.

“Investigation is on to ascertain who and why anyone would throw the IED in the house. We are inquiring Dey to know whether he has any business rivalry or any kind of dispute with neighbours or anyone else,” said Ranjan, adding that it was fortunate that the IED did not explode.

The DSP said that they are also focusing on tracing the person who made the IED, as he was no layman.

A case has been registered in this connection.