Birbhum violence: CBI takes over case, will begin probe tomorrow

Eight people including two children were charred to death after their homes were set on fire during the violence triggered by the killing of local Trinamool panchayat member Bagdu Sheikh on March 21. The Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to take over the case

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed cases in connection with the killing of eight people including two children in West Bengal's Birbhum district, news agency PTI reported. A team of officials from the central probe agency is expected to reach Bogtui village, this after the Calcutta high court ordered the CBI to take over the case. The team will begin its investigation from Saturday.

The CBI's Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) experts collect samples from the houses at Bogtui village, in Birbhum on Friday. (ANI)

Earlier in the day, a team of central forensic labs had visited the homes which were set on fire on March 21, killing eight people in the violence triggered by the murder of local Trinamool panchayat member Bagdu Sheikh.

The ruling Trinamool Congress assured cooperation in the CBI probe but demanded that the investigations should be impartial. “We will give our full cooperation in the CBI probe. Our only demand is that the CBI investigates the matter in an impartial manner and does not investigate under the pressure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). If this happens, we will lodge a protest,” TMC general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.

The autopsy report had claimed that all the eight people were brutally beaten before they were burnt alive. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday visited the violence-hit village and had announced compensation to the kin of deceased.