Three killed in Darjeeling protest: CID starts probe

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) initiated a probe into the Singamari incident at Darjeeling in which three people were killed after receiving bullet injuries when police was attacked on June 17.

The state government had clearly stated that no firing had taken place from the police's end. Preliminary investigation had also revealed that the police did not use the bullets that hit the victims and resulted in their death.

In a bid to find out that who had opened fire that resulted in the death of three persons, the CID has initiated a probe.

Rajesh Kumar, ADG CID, said: "A team has set out for the Hills to probe into the incident."

It is learnt that the officers of the CID would try to identify that when exactly the brick bating had started and what was the strength of the people there when the mob started pelting stones at the police.

The investigating officers have come to know about the supply of arms and ammunition to the agitators.

So they will be trying to find out whether the same ammunitions which were supplied to them had hit the three victims.

Source said that the members of the team will be first visiting the spot where the incident took place and would record statements of the people who reside in the nearby areas. The investigating officers would also note down the entire incident that took place on that day from the police.

Another aspect of the investigation would be to find out whether the firing had taken place aiming the policemen that by mistake hit the three people as the accused had missed the aim or the three persons were purposely killed just to defame the police.

This comes at the time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that there was a "deep rooted conspiracy" behind the unrest in the Hills.