BJP Demands NIA Probe Into Blast At Bengal's Illegal Firecracker Unit

Adhikari demanded compensation from the state for the families of those killed in the blast.

KOLKATA: Leader of the Opposition and BJP legislator Suvendu Adhikari on Monday demanded an NIA probe into the blast at an illegal firecracker factory in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, that claimed nine lives. The saffron party members staged a walkout from the assembly on Monday, protesting against the incident that occurred a day before.

"Before all the evidence is destroyed, the state government must immediately hand over the probe to the NIA. We have also filed a PIL before the Calcutta High Court," Adhikari said while speaking to reporters outside the House. The Centre cannot suo motu hand over the probe to the NIA unless sections of the Explosives Act are applied to the charges, he said.

The BJP wanted to move an adjournment motion, demanding discussion on the incident in the House but Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay allowed the party only to read it. Before the walkout, BJP MLAs raised slogans in the House for 10 minutes, demanding a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the incident.

The saffron party legislators, including Chief Whip Manoj Tigga and Shankar Ghosh, held the protest and tore papers containing the list of House proceedings while leaving. Adhikari demanded the resignation from the CM, claiming that Banerjee "remained silent for hours after the blast". The BJP leader also said the intensity of the blast was so huge that the concrete roofs of the neighbourhood houses were severely damaged.

"The massive intensity of the blast was due to RDX explosive," he claimed. The intensity of the explosion was so high that over 50 houses in the neighbourhood were partially damaged and body parts of those killed in the incident were found on roofs of several buildings. The owner of the illegal firecracker factory and his son were also killed in the blast.

Adhikari demanded compensation from the state for the families of those killed in the blast. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident, the police said. Adhikari said the local police "knew everything about the illegal factory but did not take any action". During the day, he also led a delegation of BJP MLAs to the blast site at Nilganj under the Duttapukur Police Station limits and interacted with local people, police personnel present at the spot and party activists there.

The BJP leader also claimed that when a similar blast took place at Egra, the chief minister had said that a panel would be formed under the chief secretary to take measures so that these incidents do not recur. "What happened to the measures that the state government was supposed to take?" he asked.

In May, twelve people were killed in an explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Purba Medinipur district's Egra. He also claimed that all those who died in the blast were linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress party. Echoing Adhikari, BJP state President Sukanta Majumdar said only an NIA probe will unravel "whether the blast was the fallout of the ruling Trinamool Congress aiding 'jihadi' forces for vote bank politics".

"The nature of the blast suggests that 'jihadi' forces from across the border might be involved in the Duttapukur incident. Preliminary reports say people from Murshidabad were involved in making 'bombs' in the fireworks unit. Who are these people and what was the nature of their job? Only NIA can bring out the truth," he added.