CBI may take help from forensic psychologists in Birbhum massacre case

The central agency has recovered two vehicles which villagers alleged were used to transport bombs and petrol to the crime spot at Bogtui village on March 21. The petrol was allegedly used to burn the victims alive.

Sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the Birbhum massacre, may take the help of forensic psychologists, a senior official of the agency said on Saturday.

Nine people, mostly women and children, were burnt alive at Bogtui village on March 21 following the killing of a Trinamool Congress leader in the village. Seven bodies were charred beyond recognition. (PTI PHOTO.)

The central agency has recovered two vehicles which villagers alleged were used to transport bombs and petrol to the crime spot at Bogtui village on March 21. The petrol was allegedly used to burn the victims alive.

“We may take the help of specialists to prepare a forensic psychological assessment of some of the accused persons. They would be present during the interrogation,” a senior official said.

Forensic psychological assessment is a technique used to evaluate a person’s body language, his overall psyche and his personality to ascertain whether a person is telling the truth and to narrow down on culprits.

“The report may be produced in the court as evidence,” said the official while adding that the agency sleuths have found several inconsistencies while interrogating the accused persons.

Out of the 22 people who were arrested by the Special Investigation Team, earlier set up by the Mamata Banerjee administration, the CBI has taken 19 into custody for questioning. This includes Anarul Hossain, a former block president of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Nine people, mostly women and children, were burnt alive at Bogtui village on March 21 following the killing of a Trinamool Congress leader in the village. Seven bodies were charred beyond recognition.

On the basis of information provided by villagers, CBI officials went to an adjacent village and found two abandoned e-rickshaws. Villagers alleged that the two vehicles and a motorcycle were used to bring in petrol and bombs to set the houses on fire.

Meanwhile the CBI may opt for DNA testing to identify the victims whose bodies were charred beyond recognition.

Though the seven charred bodies, recovered from one house in Bogtui village, were identified by one Alauddin Sheikh, who claimed to be a distant relative, before they were buried in the presence of district officials, a section of relatives including Mihilal Sheikh who lost his wife and daughter in the massacre alleged that they didn’t identify the bodies. Mihilal has already been questioned by the CBI.

The CBI is likely to collect DNA samples of the charred bodies from the Rampurhat Government Hospital and Medical College where the post mortem of the bodies were conducted.