National investigation agency to probe Eastern India serial blasts

The probe into the serial blasts which claimed six lives and injured 80 other persons near a political rally in eastern state of Bihar has been handed over to elite National Investigation Agency (NIA), India's Interior Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde stated on Wednesday. Shinde said the blasts case was handed over to federal agency following the recommendation of provincial governments Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, who met him to discuss the situation in the state on Wednesday. NIA is a federal agency established by the Indian Government to combat terror in India; it acts as central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency. The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. Following his meeting with interior minister, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that "Bihar Police does not have the database of terrorists and the NIA has, we have decided to hand over the case to NIA following a recommendation of state police head. Bihar Police will offer all help in the probe". He further stressed that the provincial had no Intelligence input about possible terror strike,adding, the state police had arrested one person suspected to be associated triggering blast near Patna Railway station. On Oct 27 at least six people were killed while as 80 others were injured during the six serial blasts in Bihar's capital Patna. The police had said the serial blasts were detonated near to the venue India's main opposition Bhartiya Janta Partys Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi's, political rally.