Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the Rampurhat incident in which eight people were burnt alive in Birbum district of West Bengal. He said the Centre will provide all possible help needed to book the culprits. “I hope state government takes strict action against culprits,” he said.
PM Modi also said that those who encourage such criminals should not be forgiven too. “I would urge the people of Bengal to never forgive the perpetrators of such incidents, and those who encourage such criminals,” PM Modi said during an address after inaugurating Biplobi Bharat Gallery at Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata.
At least eight people were burnt alive on Monday, just hours after a local TMC leader was killed in Rampurhat village in Birbhum district of West Bengal. The BJP and other other opposition leaders claim that the houses were put on fire in retaliatory action.
The state government has set up an SIT to probe the killings, but the BJP has demanded the case be handed over to CBI or NIA. BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari said the SIT is a wing of the state and chief minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to save the government.
Earlier in the day, the chief minister accused the opposition parties of playing politics and said she will visit Birbhum tomorrow.
Taking suo moto congnisance, the Calcutta High Court today heard the matter and called for the status report from the state by 2 pm tomorrow (Thursday). The HC directed the state to install CCTV cameras in presence of the district judge and 24×7 CCTV surveillance of the scene of occurrence.
The court also directed the CFSL Delhi team to collect evidence immediately from the spot for examination. Direction were given to DG and IGP to take measures to protect eyewitnesses.
The BJP earlier in the day claimed that some eyewitnesses were missing.
