Bihar: 4 arrested in Banka madrassa blast case

BANKA: The special investigation team (SIT) on Thursday arrested four persons in connection with the Madrassa blast at Noori Islampur mosque in Navtolia locality in the district on June 8.
Police sources said the arrests were made after making meticulous investigations and cross-examinations of several suspects and recording the statements of local persons and some eyewitnesses over the last 10 days.
Those arrested include secretary of the madrassa-cum-mosque organizing committee Farukh Ansari and members of the committee Md Idrish Ansari, Md Ahmed Ansari and Md Kuddush.
Sources said Idrsih, Ahmed and Kuddush were also allegedly accused in crime incidents, including bombing cases in the area in the past.
The SIT also seized the vehicle that was used for carrying away the grievously injured imam, Maulana Abdul Momin Ansari, after the blast. The imam later died. The SIT also found two children, who were injured in the explosion.
Banka SP Arvind Kumar Gupta said the four persons were arrested from the hideouts of the suspects. “We did scientific investigations, retrieved the call details of suspects and cross-examined various people in the localities, including the members of the madrassa committee.”
He added: “We are now focusing on the sources from where the bombs and explosives were procured and for what reasons it was hidden in the madrassa The owner and the driver of the vehicle are also being quizzed. The forensic science laboratory (FSL) is yet to submit its final report. The FSL has also been asked to investigate the seized vehicle.”
A massive bomb explosion had occurred in the Noori Islampur madrassa building at Navtolia locality under Banka Sadar PS around 8am on June 8. Major part of the building had collapsed and turned into rubble in the explosion whereas the Imam’s body was recovered from the outskirts of the village later in the evening that day.
The Banka police had registered an FIR against unknown persons in connection to the bomb explosion. SIT, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from Patna, state intelligence, FSL, dog squad and others are investigating the case.