Birbhum violence: Firefighters waited for 10 hours to enter burnt homes, says witness

The Central Bureau of Investigation has already initiated probe into the violence in Bogtui village in Bengal's Birbhum district where eight people were charred to death after their homes were set on fire.

The fire-fighting personnel waited for ten hours to enter the burnt houses in Bengal's Birbhum district to recover the charred bodies, an eyewitness said on Saturday.

The scene of the violence in Birbhum. (HT photo)

According to the complainant, a sub inspector posted in Rampurhat police station, it was not possible to enter those burnt homes due to intense heat, PTI reported.

The complainant in his FIR said he rushed to the Bogtui village after receiving the information. The police official said the team found eight houses and some straw heaps had caught devastating fire. The cop said the duty officer sub inspector Ramesh Saha was called and asked to inform the fire brigade personnel.

The complainant along with his son and locals tried to douse the fire by pouring buckets of water but couldn't do so as the flames were devastative. At around 10.25 pm, the fire brigade personnel arrived with two fire tenders and the operations started.

The FIR reads that four people suffered burn injuries and were immediately admitted to the Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital. The first information report also claims that most of the houses were completely burnt and were ransacked.

A total of eight people were burnt to death in the Rampurhat area of West Bengal's Birbhum on Tuesday after a mob allegedly set houses on fire following the killing of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Bhadu Sheikh.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has initiated the probe after being handed over the case by the West Bengal police as per the orders of the Calcutta High Court.

(With inputs from ANI)