This story is from March 6, 2022

Anti-terrorist squad starts probe into Bhagalpur blast

Four members of the state anti-terrorist squad (ATS) visited Kajwali Chak in Bhagalpur on Saturday to investigate into the massive blast in which 14 people died and at last 16 were injured on Thursday night. Houseowner Mohammad Azad has been absconding since the blast in his three-storey building.
Anti-terrorist squad starts probe into Bhagalpur blast
Debris at the site after a massive explosion ripped through a three-storey building in Kajwali Chak area in Bhagalpur
BEGUSARAI: Four members of the state anti-terrorist squad (ATS) visited Kajwali Chak in Bhagalpur on Saturday to investigate into the massive blast in which 14 people died and at last 16 were injured on Thursday night. Houseowner Mohammad Azad has been absconding since the blast in his three-storey building.
Besides collecting samples from the blast site, the ATS members talked to the residents as well as officials of local Tatarpur police station.
They also visited JLNMCH to meet some of the 16 injured and recorded their statements.
The Tatarpur police had recovered about 5kg of explosives containing ammonium nitrate and sulphur from the spot. It was learnt to have been smuggled from Malda in West Bengal leading to speculations of a wider network of people dealing in such materials for use in making bombs as well as firecrackers.
Azad had purchased the house from one Lilawati Devi, who stayed there with her family on rent and manufactured firecrackers. Lilawati and her three family members were among the 14 killed in the blast. Azad basically dealt in iron grills manufacturing but later joined the business of firecrackers with Lilawati. Police sources did not rule out making of bombs and Maoist connections in the case.
Bhagalpur SSP Babu Ram said only the forensic investigation reports and a detailed investigation would ascertain the kind of explosives which were kept in the house and triggered the blast. He said all the members of the two families who were engaged in illegal manufacturing of firecrackers perished in the incident. "Only Azad is alive and absconding," he said.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar had summoned state chief secretary Amir Subhani and DGP S K Singhal on Friday and directed them to carry out a thorough probe into the causes of blast. However, the house in which explosion took place and reduced it along with three other neighbouring buildings to rubble was allegedly used for manufacturing illegal firecrackers.
Bhagalpur DM Subrat Kumar Sen said it would take some time to know the cause of the incident as the probe involves forensic investigation besides detailed examination of other aspects, including the history related to the case. He, however, ruled out any apparent involvement of other local police officials senior to the SHO level, citing their responsibility was only associated with monitoring of the case.
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