Attack on Jakir Hossain a pre-planned conspiracy, alleges West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee arrived at the hospital in Kolkata to meet Hossain who got injured after unidentified people hurled a bomb at him at Nimtita railway station in Murshidabad on Wednesday. She alleged that "some people" were putting pressure on Hossain to join "their party".

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New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (February 18) said that the attack on state minister Jakir Hossain was a conspiracy. She alleged that "some people" were putting pressure on Hossain to join "their party".

Banerjee arrived at the hospital in Kolkata to meet Hossain who got injured after unidentified people hurled a bomb at him at Nimtita railway station in Murshidabad on Wednesday.

"This (attack) seems to be pre-planned. At the time of the blast, there were no officials from the railways and there were no lights too. It was a railway property where the incident occurred. It is a conspiracy. We want the truth to come out," Banerjee told media in Kolkata today.

"It was the central government's property where this happened. It is a game plan to kill him. He was a very popular leader," she said.

"It is sad that in a democracy they are targeting and trying to kill TMC leaders," she added.

Banerjee announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for those who were seriously injured in the incident and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.

She said that the investigation has been assigned to Counter Insurgency Force (CIF), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Special Task Force (STF), so that "we do not have to depend on just one agency."

West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim has also termed the incident a conspiracy.

"Around 26 of our people, including Jakir Hossain, were injured, 14 of them are serious. The police investigation is on. CM has said that CID, STF and CIF have joined in. I hope Railway will help them. On behalf of the party, we want that culprits be arrested & brought to court," Hakim was quoted as saying by ANI.

"This is definitely a conspiracy. But it is the job of the police and investigation agencies to probe and find out who was behind this," added Hakim.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh attacked the government saying that the incident was proof of the poor law and order situation in the state.

"The incident shows that West Bengal is not safe even for ministers. The government has failed to control the law and order," Ghosh said.

The incident occurred ahead of the assembly election which is due in April-May this year. Hossain was admitted to the Trauma Care Unit of the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. A medical board has been formed to look into his health condition.