NIA likely to take over Bihar madrasa blast probe

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over the probe into the blast at a madrasa in Bihar’s Banka district on Tuesday, officials aware of the matter said and added a team of the federal agency is expected to visit the explosion scene on Friday. A case has been registered against unknown people in the case.

The NIA is expected to probe the nature of the explosive used in the blast, which left one Abdul Momin Sattar dead and four injured. The blast damaged a portion of the seminary.

Central agencies and the Bihar Anti-Terrorist Squad have inspected the site and found the slain man had procured an e-pass for travel between Deoghar and Chatra districts of Jharkhand from May 17 and 19.

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The central agencies are looking into the quantity of the blast that brought the roof down. An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the roof came down points to use of some powerful explosives of big quantity.

The central agencies are probing the possibility of any terror module and if there were people in the vicinity in contact with any foreigners via the internet. Police are also looking for the vehicle in which Sattar died while being taken for treatment. The body was found while four persons in a car managed to flee.

Bhagalpur range deputy inspector general Sujeet Kumar said the four suspects, who were taking Sattar in the car, could give clues about what exactly happened. He added the man’s mobile number has been located.