The National Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday said the investigation into the Burdwan blast must be done properly and the culprits should be brought to book as early as possible.
"I am sure, Sharad Kumar, the NIA chief, and all the top officials of the investigating agencies would professionally examine and pick up evidence to find out as to where does truth lie and they must not spare any efforts in unearthing it; if there was any conspiracy nationally or internationally efforts should be made to bring to book the culprits who are involved in these types of serious offences which are interconnected," NCP leader Majid Memon said.
NCP leader Tariq Anwar on his part said that New Delhi should take a strong step if the culprits have connections with Pakistan or Bangladesh.
"The Central Government and the secret agency have taken up the case and are investigating, which will take time. If the blast is related to Bangladesh or Pakistan, the Indian Government should take a strong step," he said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rashid Alvi said there was no place for militancy in the country.
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"There should be a strong investigation and whoever involved should be handed over to the law. There is no tolerance towards militancy in this country," said Alvi.
The explosions on October 2 had left two suspected militants dead. A city court had sent three accused to police custody till October 22. Two women were later on October 5 also arrested in connection with the case.
The involvement of militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (Bangladesh-based) are being suspected in the case as a large number of watch dials, SIM cards, and other tools required to make improvised explosive devices were found in the house.
Meanwhile, Commandos of National Security Guard (NSG) on 17th October had defused over 40 hand grenades and bombs that were found in the district.
A joint team of NSG and NIA had also recovered huge cache of ammunition from a house in Burdwan district.
National Investigation Agency, NIA, has said that the accused persons arrested in the Burdwan blast case and their associates are members of banned terrorist organisation Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and they were preparing IEDs for terror attacks in Bangladesh.
NIA said in a statement it has completed initial investigations pertaining to bomb blast in a house at Khagragarh village in Burdawan district of West Bengal, which indicates the involvement of JMB cadres. Two persons - Shakil Ahmed and Suvon Mandal alias Subhan - both residents of Bangladesh were killed while manufacturing IEDs. One person Abdul Hakim alias Hassan was injured and arrested besides three others including two women.
The NIA said it is focussing on the activities of JMB covering all aspects including the funding of terror activities. NIA said it is also considering announcement of cash rewards for any information leading to the arrest of the absconding accused of this case that include JMB members from Bangladesh.
The Director General (DG) of National Investigation Agency (NIA), Sharad Kumar, had visited the blast site on Friday for investigation.
He also visited a house at nearby Mathpara on Badsahi Road in Burdwan where 40 improvised hand grenades were found. The NIA Director General also visited the house which one of the suspected dead terrorists Shakil had rented in Beldanga in Murshidabad.
The visit of the NIA DG to Burdwan town came two weeks after the agency took over investigations into the blast at Khagragarh on 2nd October.
