NIA arrests 2 in 2022 Bengal blast case, one officer injured during operation

In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) made two key arrests on Saturday in connection with the Bhupatinagar blast case of December 2022.

The arrests of Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana were carried out despite strong opposition from a disorderly crowd in West Bengal's East Medinipore district, resulting in injuries to an NIA officer and damage to an official vehicle.

The duo was apprehended following extensive searches at five locations, including Jana's residence, where locals attempted to obstruct the NIA team conducting the raid early Saturday. The Bhupatinagar blast case, which claimed three lives in December 2022, prompted the NIA's intervention.

According to the anti-terror agency, during the operation, one NIA team member sustained minor injuries, and the agency's official website suffered damage as some individuals in the crowd assaulted them.

The investigation revealed that Manobrata Jana and his accomplice, Balai Charan Maity, were involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and detonate crude bombs to spread terror. The blast occurred at the residence of Rajkumar Manna in the village of Naruabilla in East Medinipur district.