West Bengal polls: EC asks NIA to prevent crude bomb threats ahead of second phase

Hours before the second phase of voting in the state of West Bengal, the Election Commission on Tuesday, April 28th, asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to ensure that no bombs are used by miscreants to disrupt voting and target workers of the political party.

The directive comes after the recovery of crude bombs in the poll-bound state and reports of a minor blast. While phase one of polls in the state took place on April 23rd, the second phase will be held on April 29th.

 

EC officials said the poll body is taking stringent measures to prevent any poll-day or post-poll violence in West Bengal. As per the reports, on April 26th, police recovered crude bombs from the house of a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district.

Later, on a directive by the Union Home Ministry, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case to probe the recovery of 79 crude bombs in the state. In pursuance of the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata, on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson had earlier said.

"The case pertains to the recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson had said.

Amid law and order concerns in West Bengal, the EC had earlier this month decided to continue deployment of 500 companies of central forces in the state even after the counting of votes on May 4th. "During the last assembly elections, there was post-poll violence. The decision is also based on past incidents," an official explained