Birbhum Killings: CBI team reaches Bogtui village, local police station to collect case papers

Earlier this week, on Monday night, eight people, including two children, were charred to death and nearly a dozen houses set ablaze at Bogtui village in Birbhum’s Rampurhat block, allegedly in retaliation to the murder of local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh.

The CBI team, which is assisted by CFSL experts, are minutely examining the spot and collecting evidence. Another team of CBI officials has also reached the local police station to collect documents related to the case. All the information that has come up in the investigation will be reported to the CBI on behalf of the Special Investigation Team. Besides, the CBI team is likely to take the statements of those who have been arrested in the case.

#Birbhum | Describing the killing as an “undisputed shocking incident” that “has shaken the conscience of society”, the Calcutta HC ordered the CBI to take over the probe into the incident and submit a preliminary report during the next hearing.

📸 Partha Paul (@HEYPARTHA) pic.twitter.com/hbdgxZlQiL

CBI has already registered a case (a copy of which is with The Indian Express) under Sections 147, 148, 149, 325, 326, 307, 302, 435, 436 and 427 of the Indian Penal Code which indicates that the suspected offence in Bogtui case includes rioting, rioting armed with deadly weapons, unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, attempt to murder, punishment for murder, mischief by fire or explosive substances with intent to cause damage to the extent to the amount of rupees 100 (or in case of agricultural produce) ten rupees, mischief by fire or explosive substances with intent to destroy house etc and mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees.

The FIR lodged by the CBI team is based on the complaint by sub-inspector Dhruba Jyoti Dutta of Rampurhat police station. As many as 21 people have been named in the FIR.

Till date, 22 persons, including TMC’s Block 1 President Anarul Sheikh, have been arrested in the case by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed earlier to investigate the case.

A portion of the complaint attached with the FIR read, “On March 21st at about 22.25 hrs., the fire brigade personnel of Rampurhat Fire and Emergency Services arrived at the spot. During fire fighting operations, 4 persons were recovered having burn injuries. They were immediately shifted to Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital with the help of local people and their relatives. The fire was anyhow brought under control and at about 02.00 hrs. The fire brigade personnel left the spot after the fire was more or less doused. Due to immense heat, it was not possible to get into those burnt houses at that time. However, the search process (operations) for injured and affected persons was continued. On 22.03.22 morning at about 07.10 hrs., the fire brigade personnel again arrived at the village and joined in our search operations. Most of the houses were completely gutted and also were found to have been ransacked.”

The houses that were burnt belong to Mihilal Sheikh, Seklal Sheikh, Bani Sheikh, Neklal Sheikh, Minarul Sheikh, Sona Sheikh, Fatik Sheikh and Mobina Bibi.

As per the FIR, seven burnt dead bodies lying underneath the debris were recovered from the house of Sona sheikh. So far, the investigation has revealed that all the bodies were charred to death beyond recognition.

The CBI took over the investigation in the Birbhum (Rampurhat) violence case Friday after the Calcutta High Court directed the SIT formed by the West Bengal government to hand over the case papers and the accused persons arrested by it to the central probe agency.