The arrest of two key suspects from Kolkata accused in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe blast case has triggered a political slugfest between West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, at an election rally in Dinhata in Bengal’s Cooch Behar on Friday, hit back at the remarks that the state had become a “safe haven for terrorists” under her rule.

The remarks were made by BJP after two men – Mussavir Hussain Shazeb and Abdul Matheen Taahaa – were arrested on Friday morning and are believed to be key conspirators; Taahaa allegedly handled the logistics while Shazeb planted the bomb. They were traced to Kanthi, or Contai, a small city 180 km from Kolkata in the Purba Medinipur district.

Banerjee pointed out, “The men (who were arrested) are not residents of Bengal… they were hiding out here. They were arrested in two hours.”

Also Read: Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast case: NIA arrests mastermind, bomber from hideout near Kolkata

“The BJP cannot stand it if there is peace in Bengal. Is Uttar Pradesh safe? Is Rajasthan safe? Is Bihar safe?” she asked of the crowd.

Senior Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh also shot back at the BJP’s attacks, pointing out the arresting agency, the National Investigation Agency or NIA, “had to accept active cooperation of state police”.

“Their press release mentions cooperation of state police in arrests they made,” he asserted.

After the arrest, BJP leader Amit Malviya took to X and said in a post, “NIA detains two chief suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, Mussavir Hussain Shazib and accomplice Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa, from Kolkata. Both likely belong to ISIS cell in Shivamogga, Karnataka. West Bengal, unfortunately, under Mamata Banerjee, has become a safe haven for terrorists.”

Responding to Malviya’s post, the West Bengal Police put out a message on their official X handle, highlighting that it was a joint operation. “Falsehood at its worst! Contrary to the claims made by @amitmalviya, the fact is that, two suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case have been arrested from Purba Medinipur in a JOINT operation by the West Bengal Police and the Central Intelligence Agencies,” it said.

Also Read: NIA detains suspected accomplice of Rameshwaram Cafe blast accused in Ballari

“West Bengal has NEVER been a safe haven for terrorists and the state police will continue to remain ever-vigilant in keeping its people safe from nefarious activities. The proactive role of WBP in the matter has been officially acknowledged by the Central Agencies,” the post added.

A low-intensity IED blast took place at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru, Karnataka on March 1, which left at least nine injured. The investigation in this case is being carried out by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

(With inputs from ANI)