Massacre orchestrated to divert attention from price hike: Didi

New Delhi/ Kolkata, March 23

Facing brickbat from various quarters, including the High Court and Raj Bhavan over the massacre in Birbhum district, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the killings took place to divert attention from pressing issues like the rise in prices of petroleum products.

Addressing beneficiaries of the widow pension scheme today, Banerjee claimed that the macabre incident was orchestrated to defame West Bengal. Meanwhile, a senior police officer said at least 22 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the violence that claimed eight lives.

Such incidents more frequent in Bihar, up

Not justifying the Birbhum killings, but such incidents are more frequent in UP, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. —Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal CM

Family members of Bhadu Sheikh, TMC panchayat leader whose killing on Monday is suspected to have sparked off the attack with petrol bombs on some 10 houses in Bogtui village on the outskirts of Rampurhat town, claimed that Sheikh’s sons were among those arrested. However the police as yet have not released any names of suspects who have been arrested.

The Calcutta High Court took suo moto cognizance of the incident. It asked the state government to immediately instal CCTV cameras covering all angles of the scene of the crime and also ordered a CFSL team to visit the site and collect evidence.

The court asked the state government to produce the case diary/report in the case before it by 2 pm on Thursday.

Stating that action has been initiated against the erring police officials and that the perpetrators of the murders would be punished, Banerjee announced that she would visit the village tomorrow.

Without naming the court, she asked why certain people, who were silent during the Delhi riots and Hathras and Unnao incidents, have swung into action after the Bogtui murders. “Much more heinous incidents take place at UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Gujarat,” she alleged.

Earlier, the Governor in a letter to Banerjee warned her saying, “It is high time for you now to hold the rule of law as the supreme command.”

Meanwhile, BJP MLAs led by Suvendu Adhikari and a CPM team led by the party’s newly elected general secretary Md Saleem today visited the village which wore a deserted look as large number of its residents have fled.

PM Modi describes Birbhum killings as heinous

PM Narendra Modi, describing the Birbhum killings as “heinous”, said the culprits should not be forgiven. Inaugurating ‘Biplobi Bharat’ Gallery at Victoria Memorial Hall virtually, he said the Centre was willing to help the state in any way required to bring perpetrators to justice.

(With inputs from PTI)