Birbhum Violence: NCPCR Seeks Action Taken Report From Police As Villagers Flee In Fear

TMC extremists in Rampurhat area under Birbhum District of West Bengal set ablaze multiple houses, as a result of which around 10 women and children were charred alive, according to NCPCR letter.

New Delhi: Taking cognizance of the Birbhum incident, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Tuesday sought an action taken report from the West Bengal police within three days.

"TMC extremists in Rampurhat area under Birbhum District of West Bengal set ablaze multiple houses and as a result of which around 10 women and children were charred alive," says the NCPCR letter, according to ANI report.

In its letter addressed to Birbhum Superintendents of Police Nagendra Nath Tripathi, NCPCR requested him to "ensure the security of children".

A mob allegedly set houses on fire on Tuesday following the killing of Trinamool Congress leader Bahadur Shaikh that left around eight people dead in the Rampurhat area of Birbhum.

In response to the incident, the Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with investigation into the incident by central agencies.

Stating that 11 arrests have been made in the case so far, Director-General of Police (DGP) West Bengal, Manoj Malviya informed that Bahadur Shaikh's murder was reported last night following which seven-eight houses in the vicinity were set on fire in an hour's time.

A special investigation team has been formed to probe the matter, he added.

Villagers Move Out In Fear

Meanwhile, residents in Bogtui village, where the incident took place have started to move out due to fear and lack of confidence in the security measures provided by the police, according to ANI report.

Many of the villagers have left and several others are in the process of leaving the village post arson as they are not satisfied with the security arrangements by police.

"The police cannot provide us security. We are fleeing. My brother-in-law died in the incident. Had there been security by the Police, this incident wouldn't have happened," a villager, Sherin told ANI.

Locket Chatterjee, BJP MP from Hooghly, has also claimed that about 20 people have been killed in the arson, "but no one knows the actual number because no one is being allowed to enter in Birbhum."  The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government over the arson incident

The move came after a nine-member delegation of BJP MPs from West Bengal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and sought his intervention and action against the perpetrators involved in the crime.