NIA takes over probe into Bhubaneswar blast that killed history-sheeter, his mother

Bhubaneswar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe from city police into the recent rooftop explosion in Airfield area that killed two people and left two others critically injured.While the agency declined to confirm whether its involvement was prompted by suspicions of a wider terror conspiracy, govt officials said that the ministry of home affairs (MHA) directed the NIA to investigate the case. According to officials, the case falls under scheduled offences listed in the NIA Act, 2008, which cover threats to national security, including terrorism.“We registered a case on Saturday and are examining all possible angles, including terror links and radicalisation,” an NIA officer said.Jagmohan Meena, deputy commissioner of police, said that the FIR, investigation documents and findings have been handed over to the NIA. “Our inquiry did not reveal any terror or radicalisation angle,” the DCP told TOI.The blast occurred on Jan 27 while Sehnawaz Malik — who had a long history of violent crimes — his mother Lizatun Bibi, fiancée Truptimayee Mahal and friend Amiya Mallick were allegedly assembling explosives on the terrace of their house.

A closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera captured the devastating moments after the device detonated, triggering fire and chaos.Sehnawaz was seen desperately trying to extinguish the fire, engulfing him, under a water tap, while his mother — her clothes ablaze — attempted to tear them off in panic. Sehnawaz succumbed to injuries on Feb 4, followed by Bibi on Feb 10. Mahal and Amiya are still hospitalised with severe burns.The intensity of the blast had earlier prompted a preliminary NIA probe. “The sudden MHA directive for the NIA investigation suggests a possible terror link that was overlooked by the city police,” said retired police officer S K Swain.Police said that Malik, recently released on bail after a political clash in Nayapalli, was preparing explosives for supplying them to criminal groups. He had a long history of violent crime, including attempted murder, and faced seven serious cases under the arms Act registered at Nayapalli and Maitri Vihar police stations here.