Monday, 6 October 2014 - 7:50am IST | Place: Kolkata | Agency: PTI
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West Bengal government on Sunday said a large amount of bomb-making material and 'incriminating' documents were seized from the blast site at Khagragarh in Burdwan district which claimed two lives on October two and that a high-level composite task force has been formed to investigate the matter. Addressing a press conference, state Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee said that the state was also in touch with central agencies including NIA in this regard.
"A large number of chemicals have been used in bomb-making and much of these have been seized. Recovery has also been made of a large quantity of literature both printed as well as downloaded from the internet which basically relate to ways and means of making bombs and explosive devices," Banerjee said. Ruling out allegations of the state not cooperating with central agencies, he said a section of media had reported that NIA had said that state agencies were not cooperating with them. "I would like to deny this. Senior officials of both sides are in touch, it is a far serious matter between the Centre and the state," he said. "Certain media reports said that posters relating to al- Qaeda were found. No such posters have been found so far. Investigation is on," the Home Secretary said.
He, however, denied that RDX was found at the blast site as reported in a section of media. "A Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) team led by assistant director has since visited the place of occurrence on the very next day and they have inspected the site," he said. "CID has taken over the investigation and the DGP has since formed a composite task force with top officials from CID, district police, IB and Kolkata Police under the leadership of DIG CID," Banerjee said.
"The accused persons before the police arrived tried to destroy some materials by burning but a large number of incriminating documents, telephones etc have been recovered," he said. "Investigation is continuing to see whether it has further ramification or not," he added. Banerjee said that two persons have been arrested so far in connection with the case.These are Gulsana Bibi, wife of Shakil and Alima Bibi, wife of Abdul Halim. "They were produced before a court and have been given nine days' police custody," he said.
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Suspected militants were keen to create turmoil during Durga puja and Eid celebrations in the state
- By Archisman Dinda, Correspondent
- Published: 17:34 October 6, 2014
Kolkata: Four days after a major blast at a Trinamool Congress leader’s house in Burdwan district of West Bengal, where three suspected terrorists were killed on October 2, the state government has ruled out the possibility of the involvement of Al Qaida.
While state Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee refused to divulge details about the outfit that the investigation team was suspecting, he has ruled out the possibility of the international terror group.
“Certain media reports said that posters relating to Al Qaida were found. No such posters have been found so far. Investigation is on,” the Home Secretary said. He also denied reports of non-cooperation by the state police with the national agencies and that no RDX was found at the blast site as reported in a section of media.
“I would like to deny this, senior officials of both sides are in touch, it is a far more serious matter between the Centre and the state,” he said.
“A Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) team led by assistant director has since visited the place of occurrence the very next day and they have inspected the site. Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has taken over the investigation and the DG Police has since formed a composite task force with top officials from CID, district police, Intelligence Bureau and Kolkata Police under the leadership of DIG CID,” Banerjee said.
Investigators have so far arrested three people in connection with the blast. Hafez Mollah alias Hasan, who was detained by the CID from his house on Sunday, was formally arrested on Monday, DIG (Operations), CID Dilip Adak said.
Two other women — Rajira Bibi alias Rumi from Nadia and Amina Bibi from Murshidabad — were arrested on Sunday in connection with the blast in which involvement of terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami is being suspected. The police are on the lookout for a man named Abul Kalam, to whom several phone calls were made immediately after the blast.
Sources say that powerful grenades, chemicals used in making explosives, a book on how to trigger explosions, some jihadi literature, a video on jihadi training and maps of important locations in Kolkata were seized by the CID team from the house. A large number of watch dials, SIM cards and other tools required to make improvised explosive devices were also seized from the house.
“The group was certainly making powerful bombs and was trying to blast them during the Durga Puja and Eid festivities, the two biggest festivals in the state, to disturb the communal harmony. However, the bombs were triggered while being made, killing two people instantly and another later at the district hospital,” said a police official.
The state government is being blamed not only lack for police intelligence, as the suspected had rented the house a few months back, but also due to lack of preparedness against such evil forces.
“The state police is completely unprepared to handle any such forces. Not only lack of intelligence which is critical in fighting such forces, the police is not trained to investigate the issues properly, where critical evidence was lost due to manhandling of the blast site,” said an officer of the state home department.
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All India | Written by Monideepa Banerjie | Updated: October 06, 2014 00:00 IST
KOLKATA: The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has come under fire for alleged involvement in anti-national activities after an explosion killed two people in Burdwan on Thursday. The CPM and the BJP say the police destroyed evidence before the National Investigation Team (NIA) could reach the spot.
The building where the blast took place - located in Khagragarh area - is owned by a former state government employee who is allegedly a Trinamool supporter. Some Trinamool flags were found stacked in one of the rooms on the ground floor. At one time, the Trinamool had also allegedly used a room in the house as an office.
The building where the blast took place - located in Khagragarh area - is owned by a former state government employee who is allegedly a Trinamool supporter. Some Trinamool flags were found stacked in one of the rooms on the ground floor. At one time, the Trinamool had also allegedly used a room in the house as an office.
"A bomb blast took place inside the home of a TMC leader. In that house people of Indian Mujahideen were living. Some substance exploded and after which it was told that NIA should be informed. But NIA was informed 24 hours later. The material which could have been used as the evidence was destroyed in river... Mamata Banerjee should tell that if that home belongs to a TMC leader or not? Why did your SP of Burdwan destroy the evidence?" BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh asked in Delhi.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechuri said, "The track record of state police in recent years does not augur well. Central government should interfere and act against the guilty."
The Trinamool, denying any links with the blast, claimed the BJP and CPM were conspiring to disturb peace in the state at a sensitive time - the end of the Durga Pujas and the eve of Eid.
"The comments by Biman Bose and the BJP are totally insensitive. The timing too is devious, especially at this juncture when Durga idols are still being immersed and the holy festival of Eid is to be held tomorrow," said Mukul Roy, Trinamool General Secretary.
The owner of the house where the blast occurred has been detained for questioning. Two women who lived as tenants there have been arrested.
Meanwhile, in Kolkata this evening, principal secretary, home, Basudeb Banerjee, denied any RDX or Al Qaeda posters had been found at the blast site. He also denied reports about lack of cooperation between the state police and central agencies investigating the incident.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechuri said, "The track record of state police in recent years does not augur well. Central government should interfere and act against the guilty."
The Trinamool, denying any links with the blast, claimed the BJP and CPM were conspiring to disturb peace in the state at a sensitive time - the end of the Durga Pujas and the eve of Eid.
"The comments by Biman Bose and the BJP are totally insensitive. The timing too is devious, especially at this juncture when Durga idols are still being immersed and the holy festival of Eid is to be held tomorrow," said Mukul Roy, Trinamool General Secretary.
The owner of the house where the blast occurred has been detained for questioning. Two women who lived as tenants there have been arrested.
Meanwhile, in Kolkata this evening, principal secretary, home, Basudeb Banerjee, denied any RDX or Al Qaeda posters had been found at the blast site. He also denied reports about lack of cooperation between the state police and central agencies investigating the incident.
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KOLKATA, October 6, 2014
Updated: October 6, 2014 02:45 IST
Trinamool denies hand in Bardhaman blast
The HinduTMC leader Mukul Roy
Denying the allegation that the Trinamool Congress had links with the blast at Khagragarh in Bardhaman (Burdwan) district last Thursday, party general secretary Mukul Roy said the investigation was following normal procedure. He lauded the police administration for a “proper and fast” investigation.
Two persons were killed and another was injured in the blast.
Earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) charged the Trinamool with having links with the blast.
“How do we know if the BJP and the CPI(M) are not linked with the blast and is trying to create unrest in the State?” Mr. Roy asked. He alleged that the Opposition was making “irresponsible comments.” “Biman Bose, CPI(M) State secretary, and the BJP are trying to disturb the peace and thus denigrate the government ... by making irresponsible statements.”
Denying the allegation that the house where the blast occurred had a Trinamool office, Mr. Roy said it must be “substantiated.”
“Local people would have known, if the house had the Trinamool office. Electronic media would have filmed ... do you have any footage that establishes that the house had (party) office,” he asked.
“One may cook any allegation but it has to be substantiated. In the Babri Masjid demolition case, many allegations were made against BJP leaders, but nothing materialised,” he said.
BJP charge
BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said at a press conference in Delhi that Bangladeshi infiltrators had rented the housed. Mr. Singh said: “The local police destroyed all evidence” to “cover up the incident” so that the Trinamool remained “above suspicion.”
“The local police collected samples and destroyed it within seven hours. The evidence included mobile phones, ID, IM proofs and al-Qaeda’s jihadi literature. Since the Central forces were informed late, they could not reach on time. All these raise questions on the Mamata Banerjee government,” Mr. Singh said.
Central agency sources told The Hindu that their officials were not allowed entry into the house even two days after the explosion. However, West Bengal Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee denied “non-cooperation” with the Central agencies.
West Bengal Left Front committee chairperson Biman Basu quoted newspaper reports to say pamphlets of “banned Muslim fundamentalist organisation” were recovered from the house. Later, the CPI(M) said in a statement that the Trinamool office was located in the house. “Soon after the explosion, the signboard of the Trinamool Congress was removed ... local people alleged that that the police tried to block the probe initially,” Mr. Bose said.
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