West Bengal CID probing Sitalkuchi violence serves notice to 6 CISF officials

The incident had drawn protests and criticism from the ruling Trinamool Congress. The Election Commission, however, had said that that the security forces had to open fire in self-defence.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police has issued a notice to four constables and one inspector of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and a deputy commandant of the force in connection with the April 10 firing incident in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district. They have been served notice under Section 160 of the CrPC and asked to appear at the CID headquarters on Tuesday.

Security personnel at a polling station after the Election Commission stopped voting exercise at a polling station in Sitalkuchi, after violence on April 10.

Last week, the investigating officer of the Mathabhanga police station was questioned by the sleuths of the West Bengal CID which is probing the deaths of five persons in firing by the CISF personnel during fourth phase of assembly election.

A special investigating team (SIT) under DIG CID Kalyan Mukhopadhyay has been formed to carry out the investigation in the case.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, called it politically motivated. "The CID's action is politically motivated. They have no right to summon CISF personnel," BJP general secretary, Kailash Vijayvargiya said. Party leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, said the CID is doing it on the directions of Mamata Banerjee.

A day after taking oath as chief minister for the third consecutive term, Mamata Banerjee said on May 6 that her government will provide jobs of home guard to one family member each of all five persons killed in Sitalkuchi.

The five people were killed at Sitalkuchi in two separate incidents on April 10. In the first incident, an 18-year-old first-time voter was shot dead by miscreants, while in the other central forces shot dead four people allegedly in self-defence.

The incident had drawn protests and criticism from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The TMC held demonstrations across the state to protest the firing incident. Several TMC activists wore black badges and demanded the resignation of Union home minister Amit Shah.

The Election Commission, however, had said that that the security forces had to open fire in self-defence. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had referred to the firing incident multiple times to issue veiled threats against the TMC during the poll campaign.

The Superintendent of Police of Cooch Behar Debasish Dhar was suspended after the incident.