Nimtita Railway Station blast aimed at disrupting Bengal polls: NIA

New Delhi, Aug 25: The National Investigation Agency in its chargesheet in connection with the Nimtita Railway Station blast case said that the the blast was planned to derail the West Bengal Assembly elections.

The NIA charged Shahidul Islam and Any Samad, both residents of Murshidabad, West Bengal. They were charged under the sections of the Indian Penal Code and Explosive Substance Act. On February 17 2021 a blast took place at the Nimtita Railway Station in Murshidabad.

22 persons including then state labour minister Jakir Hossain had sustained serious injuries. The blast was triggered with Hossain along with his 70 supporters were entering a platform at the railway station.

The probe by the NIA revealed that the main intent was to kill the then minister and strike terror in the minds of the people with an intent of derailing the elections.

Islam had procured materials to prepare the IED from local shops and also held a series of meetings with Samad to zero in on the venue for the blast.