India finds BD terror group\\\'s link with Burdwan blast

In the wake of bomb blast in West Bengal’s Burdwan district India on Monday sounded a high alert across the eastern state and virtually sealed its borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Indian police suspect Laskar-e-Taiyeba and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) are involved in the October 2 bomb explosion at a 2-storey residential building at Khargram, in the heart of Burdwan town, about 100km from Kolkata. Two suspected terrorists – Shakil Ahmed and Swapan Mondal – died in the blast, while another – Hasan Saheb – was critically injured. Two women – Rajira Bibi and Amina Bibi, wife of Hasan Saheb – were detained from the house. They were subsequently arrested on Sunday after interrogation. A senior police official privy to the investigation said deceased Shakil Ahmed was member of JMB and had links with al-Qaeda. Police also suspect that Swapan Mondal too had link with JMB and al-Qaeda. Amina’s husband Hasan is undergoing treatment at Burdwan Medical College Hospital. ‘Initially, investigators suspected them to be members of the Indian Mujahideen (IM). But interrogations of Amina and Rajira revealed their JMB connection,’ the police official said. However, investigators are also probing their possible IM link. The National Investigation Agency, Special Task Force, the Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Criminal Investigation Department of the West Bengal police are simultaneously investigating the incident. ‘All police stations in the state have been asked to maintain a strict vigil against any subversive activity or attempt at sabotage,’ Indian Director General of Police GMP Reddy said while talking to reporters after a meeting at the state secretariat, according to bdnews24.com and other online news agencies.