New Delhi, March 2 (IANS): Almost 13 days after West Bengal Minister Jakir Hossain and several others were seriously injured in a bomb blast at Nimtita railway station in poll-bound West Bengal, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday took over the probe.

An NIA spokesperson here said that the anti-terror probe agency has taken over the probe into the incident of the blast at the Nimtita railway station.

At least 22 people including Hossain were injured in the bomb explosion at the Nimtita railway station on February 17.

The case was initially registered as an FIR under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and Explosive Substance Act against unknown miscreants at Azimganj Government Rail Police (GRP) police station in Murshidabad district on the statement of Mohammad Allarakha.

According to the police, a bomb was thrown on Hossain when he was waiting at a platform of the Nimtita railway station to board a Kolkata-bound train at around 10 p.m.

The minister and the two other injured persons were first taken to Jangipur sub-divisional Hospital, then to a hospital in Kolkata. Hossain reportedly sustained injuries on the left side of his body, mainly on his limbs.

A day after the incident of the bomb blast, West Bengal Chief Minister and the Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee pointed out towards a "conspiracy" behind the bomb attack in Murshidabad district that left her Labour Minister seriously injured.

The West Bengal government on February 18 also handed over the investigation into the attack to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways had described the bomb blast at Nimtita railway station as an "unfortunate" incident and said the law and order is a state subject and the state police was responsible for the same.

Polling to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases, on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Voting will take place on May 2.

The ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP are engaged in bitter war of words in the state.