Kolkata: The eight people, including three women and two children, who were burnt alive in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, were reportedly thrashed before their houses were set on fire.
PTI quoted hospital officials as saying that according to preliminary findings of forensic experts who conducted the post-mortem examination, the victims were badly beaten up and then burnt alive.
Following the murder of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) district official, a mob allegedly attacked a cluster of houses in the early hours of Tuesday and set them on fire.
Eight completely charred bodies, which were beyond recognition, were recovered from inside some of those houses.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for punishment of the culprits and urged the people of West Bengal not to pardon those who were behind the heinous crime.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday visited Bogtui village, where the incident took place and met families of the victims. Besides handing over cheques for Rs 1 lakh to the families, she said Rs 2 lakh will be given to rebuild their houses.
The CM lashed out at the police for not doing their duty and promised strict action against the guilty.
TMC Block Pradhan Anarul Sheikh was on Thursday afternoon arrested, on Mamata’s order.
Twenty others have also been nabbed, while some police personnel and civic volunteers have been removed on grounds of negligence.
A three-member special investigation team (SIT) is probing the incident, which has led to opposition parties like BJP, Congress and Left Front calling for the CM’s head.
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