Kolkata, 1st April 2023 - The National Investigation Agency (NIA) made two more arrests in the West Bengal detonator seizure case yesterday. The two accused, Merazuddin Ali Khan of Bokaro and Mir Md. Nuruzzaman of Birbhum, were arrested from Raniganj and Kolkata, respectively.
This case dates back to June 2022, when a Tata Sumo car carrying around 81,000 electric detonators was intercepted by the Special Task Force (STF) in Kolkata. The driver, Ashis Keora, was arrested, and the cache of detonators was seized. Following Ashis's interrogation, the police found a stash of illegally stored explosives, including 27,000 kgs of ammonium nitrate, 1625 kgs of gelatine sticks, and electric detonators.
The case was initially registered at PS Md. Bazar PS in Birbhum, and the NIA took over the case in September 2022. In January 2023, the agency made its first arrest with Rintu Sk.
According to NIA sources, Mir Md. Nuruzzaman had supplied the 27,000 kgs of ammonium nitrate to Rintu Sk, while Merazuddin Ali Khan had provided electric detonators and gelatine sticks to Rintu Sk.
The NIA is continuing its investigation to establish the sources of pilferage of the explosives and other bomb-making materials, including detonators and gelatine sticks. The agency suspects a larger conspiracy behind the seizure of explosives and is interrogating the arrested accused to uncover the truth.
The arrests have raised concerns about the potential misuse of explosives and the need for stricter measures to prevent their unauthorized possession and storage. The NIA's investigation will shed more light on the case and the intention behind the act.
