Blast outside NIA camp becomes flashpoint between Centre, Bengal govt

The blast on Monday outside the National Investigation Agency camp office in Kolkata was turning out to be another flashpoint between the Centre and the West Bengal government over the Burdwan probe.

The blast on Monday outside the National Investigation Agency (NIA) camp office in Kolkata was turning out to be another flashpoint between the Centre and the West Bengal government over the Burdwan probe.

The Bengal police was trying to dismiss it as a cracker blast but sources in the home ministry said traces of more serious explosives were found at the blast site.

“The timing and location of blast, however low intensity it might be, makes it very important to be probed properly by the local police,” said a home ministry official requesting anonymity.

According to sources, most of the arrested accused in the Burdwan case were being grilled in the camp. Home ministry is of the view that the Bengal police were not properly probing the Monday blast.

“The Bengal police are trying to wrap up the probe in the case very fast. The blast took place at a bus stop outside the CRPF camp in Salt Lake.

Even the iron sheet at the bus stop damaged due to the blast was welded in the morning itself,” said another home ministry official on condition of anonymity.

Accused sheltered by SSB constable

The NIA has found that Amjad Sheikh, an arrested accused in the Burdwan blast case was sheltered by a Sashastra Police Bal (SSB) constable after escaping from West Bengal.

The NIA also cleared doubts over the identity of Swapan Mondal alias Subhan who died in the accidental blast on October 2. “His original name was Abdul Karim and he was resident of Kafirpur Kirnahar in Birbhum district,” said a source.