Senior District Intelligence Bureau officer suspended; forensic team visits spot

Kolkata: Police have arrested 11 more persons in connection with the setting on fire the houses in Bogtui village of Birbhum's Rampurhat and one person was nabbed in connection with the panchayat Upopradhan Bhadu Sheikh murder case.

On Wednesday, a senior officer of the District Intelligence Bureau (DIB) along with 12 civic volunteers were suspended for dereliction of duty.

Forensic experts visited the gutted houses and collected samples for examination, which will help the investigating officials to ascertain the cause of the incident. Members of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) also visited the spot on Wednesday.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) sought an action taken report from the police regarding the incident. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of NCW, wrote a letter to Manoj Malviya, Director General of Police (DGP) requesting him to take stringent action and arrest the culprits. A copy of the letter has also been sent to Nagendra Nath Tripathi, Superintendent of Police (SP), Birbhum.

Eight people, including two children, were allegedly burnt alive inside the house of Sanju Sheikh in Bogtui village following the murder of the Upopradhan of Barosal panchayat on Monday night.

On Tuesday, an Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed comprising Gyanwant Singh, Additional Director General (ADG), CID, Bharat Lal Meena, Inspector General (IG) Burdwan Range and Meeraj Khalid Deputy Inspector General (DIG), CID, Operations.

During the probe, Inspector-in-Charge (IC) of Rampurhat police station was closed and the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Rampurhat, was removed on Tuesday.

It was alleged that the houses were set on fire by miscreants after they hurled bombs a few hours after the murder of Sheikh.