Trinamool Congress sees political motive in Bardhaman probe

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee. File Photo

Even as officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) started their probe into the accidental blast in Bardhaman district of West Bengal, political slugfest over the investigation continued here on Saturday with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) attributing a political motive to the probe.

Stating that the West Bengal government had sent its report a day after the blast (October 2), AITC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said that the probe was ordered only a few days ago .

The State’s ruling party has opposed the probe by the NIA, but the Union Home Ministry directed the investigating agency to investigate the matter, which lodged an FIR on Friday.

Meanwhile, a team of officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the “accidental” blast site at Khargragarh in the Bardhaman district and collected evidence and photographs from the site. The officials later met the district superintendent of police, SHM Mirza.

The NIA also approached a West Bengal court seeking the custody of the accused arrested in the case as well as transfer of the case to a court in Kolkata, an official said.

Four persons have been arrested in the blast, including two women. Two persons, who died in the blasts, have links to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen of Bangladesh, those investigating the blasts have said.

Accusing the Centre of failing to check cross border infiltration Mr. Chatterjee, who is also a Minister in the AITC government, said that the Centre was entrusted the responsibility with deploying BSF at the border.

“People are randomly crossing the border, making bombs here and selling them. Who are these people?... Why is the State government being blamed for security lapses in the border? It is the Centre’s responsibility to deploy BSF personnel at the border,” Mr. Chatterjee told media persons and sought answers from the Centre regarding this.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shamik Bhattacharya said that instead of blaming the Centre the ruling party should take a closer look of who are those creating problems along the border.

“The AITC needs to check some of the checkpoints at the border and know who are operating from there. The AITC leaders are surely aware of this and the party needs to check the involvement of its own members regarding this,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.