Tag: Zakir Hossain

  • Bomb attack on Zakir Hossain a big conspiracy: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday described the attack on the state labour minister as a deliberate and well-planned act to eliminate a member of her cabinet. 

    Calling the attack on Zakir Hossain a ‘big conspiracy’, Banerjee also alleged that there were no railway police personnel present at the station when the incident took place.

    Three state agencies—Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Special Task Force (STF) and Counter Insurgency Force (CIF)—took the charge of the probe into the incident. The police, however, are yet to ascertain the reason behind the attack on Hossain.

    “I have gathered information from the local people which suggests the explosion was triggered from a distance. This is a big conspiracy. It is surprising that the railway had no information that the minister would board a Kolkata-bound train from the station. The railway authorities are taking the incident lightly,’’ said Mamata after visiting Hossain in SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.   

    Hossain and 25 others, who were accompanying him, were injured when crude bombs went off as soon as he arrived Nimtita railway station around 9.30 pm on Wednesday. The minister was brought to SSKM Hospital and others were admitted to healthcare units in Murshidabad district.

    Doctors at SSKM Hospital said Hossain received splinter injuries on his legs and hands. “His one finger and left ankle were also badly damaged because of the impact of the explosion. A board comprising six doctors have been formed to oversee Hossain’s treatment,” a doctor said.

    The chief minister announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for severely injured and Rs 1 lakh who suffered minor injuries.

    BJP’s state president Dilip Ghosh described the incident as a reflection of the state’s lawlessness. “Even the ministers are not safe in the state,” he said.

    State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded proper probe into the incident.

  • Bengal minister injured in bomb attack in railway station

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: Minister of state labour department Zakir Hossain was injured when a group of unknown miscreants hurled bombs targeting him at a Murshidabad railway station on Wednesday night. The incident took place when he was on his way to Kolkata.

    Hossain was first taken to local healthcare centre from where doctors referred him to hospital in Kolkata because of severe wounds caused by bomb splinters, said police.

    ‘‘The attack took place as soon as he got off his vehicle at Nimtita railway station. Unknown attackers hurled bombs indiscriminately,’’ said a police officer.

    Abu Taher, TMC’s district president, said it was a shocking incident. ‘‘I heard he was attacked. He (Zakir) is a businessman, I don’t know whether he had any rivalry,’’ said Taher.