Mamata Accuses Railways of Security Lapses After Minister Hossain Hurt in Bomb Blast at Station

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Indian Railways of serious lapses in providing adequate security to the State Minister Jakir Hossain, who had received multiple injuries in a crude bomb blast at Nimtita railway station in Murshidabad district on February 17.

After meeting Hossain and ten other injured persons at the State-run SSKM hospital, Mamata said, “Preliminary inquiry revealed that the explosive was triggered with a remote device. We have ordered a high-level probe in this matter and soon things will be clear. It was a conspiracy to kill him because he was a popular leader. It was a planned attack and we condemn this.”

She said, “The incident took place at the railway station premises. It is unfortunate that Railways’ response is casual in this case. We felt that there is a serious lapse on behalf of the Railways in providing adequate security to Jakir Hossain, who is a State minister. I met the injured persons and the State government will provide Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the victims with serious and minor injuries, respectively.”

On Wednesday night, West Bengal Minister of State for Labour Jakir Hossain and some of his supporters were injured in a crude bomb blast at Nimtita railway station. The incident occurred at around 9.45 pm when the minister was waiting on Platform No. 2 to catch a train to Kolkata.

Hossain along with 15 others suffered serious injuries. All the injured were taken to the Murshidabad Medical College Hospital and later shifted to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.

Speaking to News18.com, TMCs Murshidabad district president, Abu Taher Khan, said, “We want the guilty to be booked immediately. This is a shocking incident and never happened before when a minister was attacked like this.”

Local inquiry revealed that the minister was working actively against the cow smugglers in the bordering areas of Murshidabad.