New Delhi: The charred bodies of eight people were recovered on Tuesday after a mob allegedly went on a rampage and set houses on fire in Rampurhat in West Bengal's Birbhum district following the murder of Trinamool Congress panchayat leader Bhadu Sheikh.
Director-General of Police (DGP) West Bengal Manoj Malviya said 11 arrests had been made in the case so far, ANI reported.
Dismissing claims that 10 bodies were found, Malaviya said seven charred bodies were recovered from one of the burnt houses, while one injured person died in hospital.
The body of Bhadu Sheikh, the TMC panchayat deputy chief of Barshal village, was found in Bogtui on Monday, police said. An hour later several bombs were hurled and houses were set on fire in the area.
Police said the situation was now under control. A police picket has been established in the village since last night.
"We are investigating how the houses caught fire and whether the incident is related to the death of the panchayat deputy chief of Barshal village," PTI quoted Manoj Malviya as saying.
The SDPO and in-charge of Rampurhat police station have been removed, the DGP said.
The Mamata Banerjee-led government has set up a special investigation team headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh to probe the incident.
The ruling TMC has also sent a three-member MLA team led by minister Firhad Hakim to the spot to take stock of the situation.
In a video message on his official Twitter account, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar condemned the violence in Birbhum district, saying human rights had been "decimated" and rule of law had "capsised". The Governor said the state was in the "grip of violence culture and lawlessness".
"Horrifying violence and arson orgy indicates state is in grip of violence culture and lawlessness. Already eight lives lost," Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted.
The incident triggered a war of words among the opposition BJP and the CPI(M) and the ruling TMC. The opposition parties alleged that the state government was trying to hush up the matter.
War Of Words Between Ruling TMC And Opposition Parties
Pro-BJP lawyers said they would file a petition before the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday seeking a judicial enquiry and a CBI probe into the death of eight people, PTI reported.
Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar demanded the resignation of Mamata Banerjee as CM. "Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured us that he will seek a report of the Birbhum incident in 72 hours, post which a team will go there to review law and order situation. Mamata Banerjee should be held accountable, she's the CM. She should resign from her post," ANI quoted Majumdar as saying.
Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendhu Adhikari said the law and order situation across West Bengal was grave. "26 murders have taken place in last one week in different parts of the state. Centre should intervene and use Article 356 (President's Rule) or Article 355 to take the situation in their control in Bengal," Adhikari said.
CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim said the cold-blooded killing of so many people by goons of the TMC was condemnable.