Mumbai Crime Branch Arrests Two Men Linked to Murshidabad Ashram Bomb Blast Case
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch on Sunday arrested two men from Borivali railway station in connection with the crude bomb explosions that took place outside an ashram in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district earlier this week.
According to police officials, the incident is believed to have stemmed from tensions that erupted after unidentified persons allegedly tore down a political banner that had been attached to an electric pole near a Maa Durga temple located close to the ashram on May 12.
The following night, on May 13, at around 10.45 pm, the accused allegedly attacked by hurling crude bombs into an open ground situated in front of the ashram premises.
Police said three bombs were thrown during the incident, though only two exploded.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the blast. However, the explosions caused panic among residents and created an atmosphere of fear in the area, police officials said.
The arrested accused have been identified as Rocky Khan, 24, and Shahadat Sarkar, 35. Investigators claim that after the incident, both men fled West Bengal in an attempt to evade arrest.
During the course of the investigation, the local police received information suggesting that the accused had boarded the Gitanjali Express bound for Mumbai.
The information was subsequently shared with the Mumbai Crime Branch for immediate action.
Acting on intelligence inputs and technical surveillance, the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Crime Branch tracked the movements of the suspects and arrested them soon after they arrived in Mumbai.
Police officials said Rocky Khan works as a driver and is a resident of Kandi Hotel Para, while Shahadat Sarkar is employed as a labourer and lives in Natun Pura village in Murshidabad district.
Both accused were produced before a court in Mumbai on Sunday, which granted transit remand for two days to facilitate their transfer to West Bengal for further investigation.
Officials confirmed that a team from the West Bengal Police arrived in Mumbai shortly after the arrests and took custody of the accused for further legal proceedings and interrogation.
The case was originally registered based on a complaint lodged by a local grocer residing in the Majherpara post office area under the jurisdiction of Berhampore police station.
In his complaint, the shopkeeper alleged that on the morning of May 14, several accused persons arrived outside his shop on motorcycles and allegedly threatened him with more bomb attacks if the incident was reported to the police authorities.
The FIR reportedly names Ali Hussain and Hasan among the accused, along with three unidentified individuals.
Investigators believe that several other persons connected to the attack are still absconding, and efforts are currently underway to trace and arrest them.
Police officials said the investigation is continuing to determine the full sequence of events, identify all those involved, and uncover whether the attack was linked to a larger local dispute or planned act of intimidation.
