Teens in the city of Prayagraj in India's Uttar Pradesh are making headlines for manufacturing crude bombs from easily available explosive materials for just INR 60 to 80 ($1.01), and hurling them at educational institutions and shops.
As many as 35 students, including 27 minors, have recently been arrested in Prayagraj after learning how to make bombs by watching viral videos on social media and putting their newly-acquired skills to practice. The adult students have been sent to jail, according to the police.
Shocked by the details that emerged during the interrogation of the students, Shailesh Kumar Pandey, Superintendent of Police in Prayagraj city, told Indian news agency IANS that the minors between 14 and 17 years of age have become experts in making a low-intensity crude bomb within minutes.
"They would take electrical tape from their houses, and purchase two low or high-intensity firecrackers from the market. Then they collect its explosive material on a piece of paper, add pieces of glass bottle and stones, and wrap it with electrical tapes," Pandey added.
During the interrogation, the cyber unit of the Prayagraj District Police found that students would coordinate the production of bombs through social media groups and share videos on how to make them at home via these groups.
Several such groups are now under scrutiny, with the authorities asking the parents of the adult students sent to jail to talk to their children.
At least 10 such groups, as well as student profiles on social media, are now being monitored by police.