Birbhum Violence: TMC Rampurhat Block President Arrested, Inspector In-Charge Suspended

Meanwhile, the inspector in-charge of Rampurhat Police Station has been suspended for “gross misconduct” and “dereliction of duty”.

The charred bodies of eight people were recovered on Tuesday in Rampurhat in West Bengal's Birbhum district (File Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: As the war of words between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Opposition leaders escalate over the violence in Birbhum district, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rampurhat-1 block president Anarul Hossain was arrested in connection with the killing of eight people at Bogtui village.

Meanwhile, the inspector in-charge of Rampurhat Police Station has been suspended for “gross misconduct” and “dereliction of duty”.

“Tridip Pramanik, Inspector of Police, presently posted as Inspector in Charge, Rampurhat PS, Birbhum district suspended with immediate effect for his gross misconduct and dereliction of duty unbecoming of a member of a disciplined Police force,” ANI reported Additional DGP, Law and Order, West Bengal, as saying.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee visited the Bogtui village and met the kin of those killed in the violence. She handed over a cheque of Rs five lakh to the kin of those killed in the violence.

Alleging a bigger conspiracy, Banerjee said: “The police will ensure strictest punishment is handed out to culprits responsible for the Rampurhat carnage.”

The TMC supremo, who had earlier described the violence in Birbhum district as “unfortunate”, alleged that “something big” was behind the killings.

The post-mortem examination of the eight people, including three women and two children, burnt alive by a mob earlier on Tuesday at Bogtui village has revealed that they were badly beaten up before the carnage.

The victims, as per preliminary findings of the forensic experts who conducted the tests on the charred bodies found inside the houses that were allegedly set on fire by unidentified people early on Tuesday, were first badly beaten up and then burnt alive, news agency PTI reported an official from the Rampurhat hospital as saying.

So far, at least 20 people have been arrested in connection with this incident suspected to have been triggered by a local TMC leader’s killing earlier on Monday evening.