Panaji, Dec 11 (IANS) Confusion prevailed over the status of the Diwali-eve blast in Goa, with Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Friday saying the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been handed over the probe and the state police saying they were not aware of this yet.
Kamat, speaking to reporters, said that the decision to hand over the case was taken during his meeting with union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi some days back.

“Since there are linkages of this Goa blast with other states, the special investigation team (set up by the state government) would have limitations in investigating it. That is why it was decided to hand over the case to the NIA,” Kamat said.

However, police spokesperson Atmaram Deshpande denied reports that the blast case investigations have been handed over to the NIA.

“We are not aware of this. The Goa police have not been informed of such a development yet,” Deshpande told reporters here.

The blast Oct 16 in Margao, a south Goa town 35 km from here, had killed two persons. Both were activists of Hindu right-wing organisation Sanatan Sansthan. They died in an accidental explosion while they were ferrying detonator-rigged gelatin sticks.

The police have already arrested four persons, all affiliated to the SS in connection with the blast.