Six people, including four Bangladeshis, were arrested along with firearms and explosives from Santiniketan area in south Bengal on Sunday, police said.

After preliminary investigations police said that the four were contract killers who were hired to assassinate a politician in Birbhum district. Further investigation is on.

“We have seized some sharp weapons, at least five country made firearms and some explosives from them. The explosives are being sent for forensic analysis. The six would be produced in the court on Monday,” said a senior officer of Birbhum district.

The house in which the accused had gathered and were arrested from, is located less than three kilometres from Visva Bharati.

“While four of the accused are Bangladeshi, two are from Birbhum district, preliminary investigation has revealed. We are investigating,” said Shyam Singh, superintendent of police of Birbhum district.

This comes in less than 10 days after the National Investigation Agency arrested six alleged Al Qaeda operatives from the adjoining district of Murshidabad on September 19. One more was arrested on Sunday.