State hasn't sought NIA probe into Church Street blast, Rajya Sabha told

Bengaluru police have not been able to solve the Church Street blast case, but the State government has not recommended handing over the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. One woman was killed in the blast on December 28 last year.

In response to a question by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Home, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, said the role of any specific outfit was yet to be ascertained.

The minister was also asked about the steps suggested to the State government for the security of Bengaluru and Karnataka in the wake of the blast, the arrests of a youth who was operating a pro-Islamic State Twitter handle and other suspect terrorists in the State.

“A very close and effective co-ordination exists among intelligence agencies at the Centre and the states. Intelligence inputs about possible designs and threats are shared with the state governments concerned on a regular basis. The arrest of pro-ISIS Twitter handler and terrorist operatives of Indian Mujahideen is the result of close co-ordination between the Central agencies and the Karnataka police,” the minister said.

To another question by S Thangavelu on the possible involvement of Simi members in the December blast, Chaudhary said the case was yet to be solved.