Burdwan blast: Two JMB terrorists held in Bengal

Two suspected terrorists of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were arrested from West Bengal on Tuesday in connection with the Burdwan blast in which two suspected terrorists of the outfit were killed and another was injured, the NIA said.

Habibul Hoque, 30, and Enamul Molla, 25 -- both residents of North and South 24 Parganas, respectively -- were arrested for having close association with the accused arrested and absconding in the blast, an official said.

The blast took place on October 2, 2014 in a two-storeyed building in Khagragarh locality of Burdwan.

Police seized 55 improvised explosive devices and some other explosives along with wristwatch dials and some mobile SIM cards.

The National Investigation Agency, which took up the probe on October 10, 2014, has so far arrested 18 people and filed its second supplementary charge sheet on December 14, 2015, slapping fresh charges against 28 accused for waging war against Bangladesh -- an Asiatic power which is in alliance and peace with India.

The NIA filed its first charge sheet before a designated special court on March 30, 2015 naming 21 people, including four Bangladeshi nationals, for their involvement in the JMB conspiracy to overthrow the existing democratic government in Bangladesh through violent terrorist acts and replace it with a hardline Sharia based Islamic rule.

It lodged a supplementary charge sheet on July 23, 2015 against six accused -- including one Bangladeshi national -- for their involvement in the JMB conspiracy.

All of the accused have been booked under the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, Passports Act and Foreigners Act.

The NIA in its charge sheet showed that the JMB had established its network in many districts -- particularly Murshidabad, Nadia, Malda, Birbhum and Burdwan in Bengal; Barpeta in Assam; and Sahibganj and Pakur in Jharkhand.