A division bench headed by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava, taking up a suo motu petition and a set of PILs, ordered that CCTVs be installed at the crime scene in the presence of district judge, Purba Bardhaman, and recordings be done until further orders. The bench, also comprising justice R Bharadwaj, directed a team of Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi to visit the place of incident and collect samples for examination without any delay.
– Strict action to be taken against perpetrators irrespective of their political alliance: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asserted that proper action would be taken against the perpetrators of violence in the Birbhum district, where eight people were charred to death in a village the day before. Banerjee said she would be visiting the district on Thursday to take stock of the situation there. “Strict action will be taken against all those responsible for the Birbhum incident, irrespective of their (political) colours,” she stated.
The CM also maintained that she had to postpone her visit to the district by a day as “other political parties were already huddling there”. Banerjee also alleged that such incidents of violence are results of a conspiracy hatched to divert attention from issues of concern, such as price hikes of petrol and other commodities.
– BJP seeks Mamata Banerjee’s resignation
A day after the tragic incident in Bengal’s Birbhum district, the opposition BJP has demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation, alleging that attempts were being made to shield the culprits. “The chief minister is also the home minister of the state. She has failed in discharging her duties as the home minister. She should immediately resign,” Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari said on his way to Birbhum.
Meanwhile, BJP MPs from West Bengal also urged the Centre to use constitutional provisions to intervene in the state, alleging in the Lok Sabha that the deaths of eight people in Birbhum district show that law and order has collapsed under the rule of Trinamool Congress. As soon as the Zero Hour began, several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs showed placards and raised slogans against the West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
– 22 arrested so far
At least 22 people have been arrested so far in connection with violence in West Bengal’s Birbhum district that claimed eight lives. However, the police yet have not released any names of suspects who have been arrested. Eleven people were arrested on Tuesday for their involvement in the incident.
“We are grilling them (those arrested) to find out if there were more people involved in the incident. Some accused seem to have fled the village. We are trying to trace them,” a police officer said. He added that forensic experts were examining the ravaged houses to get an idea about the “nature of the mishap”.
The West Bengal government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Additional Director General (CID) Gyanwant Singh, to probe the incident. The Union home ministry has sought a detailed report on the incident from the state government.
– What happened in Birbhum
Eight people, including three women and two children, were charred to death as nearly a dozen houses were set ablaze in a village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district early Tuesday in a suspected fallout of the murder of a ruling TMC panchayat official, provoking calls by the opposition BJP for the imposition of President’s rule. All eight were buried late Tuesday night in the presence of district officials.
The residents of Bogtui village on the outskirts of Rampurhat town were jolted out of sleep by the deafening sounds of bomb explosions. They tried to douse the flames and called the police and fire brigade for help, as flames leapt from one thatched house to another, killing seven people including two children, while another person who was rescued died later in a hospital.
The incident, West Bengal DGP Malviya said, occurred hours after the killing of TMC’s Barshal village panchayat’s deputy chief Bhadu Sheikh around 8.30 pm on Monday. The Sub-divisional Police Officer concerned, an officer in charge of Rampurhat police station had been removed from active policing duty, the DGP said. The TMC despatched a three-member team of lawmakers led by minister Firhad Hakim to the spot to take stock of the situation.
