West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has visited Bogtui village in Birbhum, where eight people were burnt alive earlier this week, and spoke with the family members of those killed.
Banerjee said that “something big” was behind the killings and promised Rs 2 lakhs to the families whose homes were burnt down.
“Police will ensure strictest punishment is handed out to culprits responsible for Rampurhat carnage,” said the chief minister. She added that suspects of the Rampurhat killings will have to be hunted down and arrested unless they surrender.
“I don't want any excuses that people have run away. I want people responsible to be arrested and policemen to be punished for lapses. Witnesses must be given protection by police from possible attacks,” she said.
She also promised jobs to the affected families and handed them cheques.
The violence at Rampurhat began after a local TMC leader was killed in a crude bomb attack.
The incident had triggered outrage and calls by the opposition for President's Rule in the state on the grounds that law and order had collapsed.
Earlier today, a postmortem revealed that those who were burnt alive were badly beaten up before the carnage.
At least 20 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident.
Banerjee took a helicopter from Dumurjola Stadium in Howrah and landed on a helipad near the village amid tight security.
She went to Bogtui village and spoke with the family members of those killed. The chief minister also separately spoke with the family members of slain local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh. One of his family members fell ill while describing their ordeal to Banerjee.
Congress state unit chief Adhir Ranjan Choudhury is also scheduled to visit Rampurhat on Thursday. On Wednesday, Choudhury, who is the Congress party's leader in the Lok Sabha, wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind on the Birbhum violence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday described the killings in Birbhum as “heinous”. He said the culprits should not be forgiven. Modi said the Centre was willing to help the state in investigating the incident.
- With inputs from PTI
