West Bengal – Ever since the arson attack in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, fresh disclosures are being made daily. The incident happened late on Monday night and it is now almost four days later. During this time, opposition parties have been making demands ranging from the resignation of CM Mamta Banerjee to the President's rule. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court has ordered a CBI inquiry.

The events so far

After Monday's arson attack, the Calcutta High Court, while hearing a PIL, ordered CM Mamta Banerjee to submit a status report within 24 hours. Following this, an order was given to install CCTV cameras in the affected area. Now, in a major setback for Mamta Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court has handed over the responsibility of investigating the entire matter to the CBI, which was constantly being demanded by the opposition parties.

It was after the court gave the order that the CBI team went to Bhogtui village, Rampurhat, where on Monday night10 people had been burnt to death. The team has to submit its report to the court by April 7. Earlier on, an SIT was probing the matter. According to the forensic report in the investigation so far, the deceased was killed with sharp weapons and then left to burn in the fire. This is based on bloodstains being found in burnt houses.

According to news reports, the people who were killed were first beaten until they were unconscious and locked in a room. Then the arson attack was carried out, for which petrol bombs were used. Presently, in this case, a bench in the Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bhaddwar has directed the Bengal government to co-operate with the CBI, and also directed the SIT to co-operate with the CBI investigation.

As yet no lawyer is willing to fight the case on behalf of accused

The Calcutta High Court has termed this heinous murder case of Rampurhat as barbaric. The Rampurhat was suspended after the incident on Monday. Following this, 20 people involved in the incident were arrested. All the 20 people were produced in the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, where lawyers refused to fight the case for the accused.

According to reports in Dainik Bhaskar, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Rampurhat, Souvik Dey, has remanded 10 of the arrested accused to 14 days in police custody. The remaining 10 have been sent to judicial custody also for 14 days. On Thursday, following orders from Mamta Banerjee, Anarul Hussain, Trinamool block president of Rampurhat, was arrested. The 10 people sent to police custody prior to that are as follows: Azad Chaudhary, Intaj Sheikh, Mafijul Sheikh, Aseem Sheikh, Rustam Sheikh, Rohan Sheikh, Nayan Diwan, Mafiuddin Sheikh, Nazir Hussain, and Tausib Sheikh.

People forced to abandon homes

After the arson attack on Monday night, there is a quietness spread over Bhogtui village. According to reports, there is tight security only 2km from the village. The entire area has been turned into a cantonment. Even now the stench of burning skin is lingering there, from which it can be gauged just how heinous was the crime. And not only this, since the incident, the people are in a state of shock. The atmosphere of fear has impelled them to flee from there. According to reports, the local people do not have any kind of trust in the police. They have said that if the police had provided security for them before, then such a big incident would not have happened.