Murshidabad: West Bengal minister Jakir Hossain sustained serious injuries after crude bombs were hurled at him in the Murshidabad district.
Jakir Hussain, who is the minister of state for labour, was attacked in Murshidabad’s Raghunathganj when he was on his way to Nimtita Railway station to catch a train to Kolkata.
The minister was then rushed to Jangipur Hospital and as per latest reports, he is now being shifted to a hospital in Kolkata.
At least two other persons who were with him were also reportedly injured in the incident.
The bomb attack on West Bengal Labour Minister Jakir Hossain was part of a conspiracy because “some people were pressuring” him to join their party, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, comparing it to the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in the 1990s. She also held Indian Railways responsible for the incident since it took place on the transporters’ premises.
Minister Hossain suffered injuries yesterday after unidentified persons hurled crude bombs at him while he was walking towards Nimtita Railway station in Murshidabad to board the train for Kolkata. He received injuries in one hand and a leg but his condition was said to be stable and out of danger, according to a doctor.
“Jakir Hossain is a big businessman…runs a huge beeri factory. It was a planned attack going by eyewitness accounts,” Ms Banerjee said. “It was a fearful blast. I am shocked. It’s like the Beant Singh blast.”
“Some people (party) were pressuring Jakir Hossian to join them for the last few months. I don”t want to disclose anything more as investigation is on,” Banerjee told reporters. She also announced a compensation of ₹ 5 lakh for those seriously injured in the explosion and ₹ one lakh for people who received minor injuries, according to PTI.
She raised doubts over security lapses at the time of the attack and said her government will not allow the suppression of the case. Speaking at another event later in the day, she asked, “Why was there no light at the railway station? Why was there no official present even after the incident?”
She also said the BJP was weaving a conspiracy and that it was greedy about South 24 Parganas.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister visited Mr Hossain who was still under ventilation at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.
