CID takes over probe in Cooch Behar CISF firing that killed 4

    Kolkata, Apr 16 (PTI) West Bengal CID Friday took over
the case of killing of four people in firing by the CISF
during polling in Cooch Behar district on April 10, a senior
government official said.
    A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Criminal
Investigation Department (CID) has been constituted to conduct
the probe in the incident which happened during the fourth
phase of polling at Sitalkuchi.
    The incident had set off an acrimonious war of words
between the ruling TMC and challenger BJP, and triggered
public outrage.
    Investigators will visit booth number 126/5 in
Jorpatki in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency where CISF
personnel had opened fire after they allegedly came under
attack from a group of villagers.
    The TMC has claimed those killed were its supporters
who were gunned down when they were standing in queue to cast
their votes. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the
TMC chief, had called the incident a "genocide".
    Besides talking to witnesses and recording their
statements, the SIT will algo go through vodeo footage of the
incident. A video clip has emerged on social media, the
officer said, adding a forensic test will likely be conducted
to establish its authenticity.
    The SIT will also talk to officers and personnel of
the local police station who rushed to the scene soon after
the incident.
    The Election Commission had cancelled the voting at
the polling station after the incident and imposed a ban on
entry of politicians into Cooch Behar for 72 hours
apprehending trouble.
    Banerjee had visited Sitalkuchi on Wednesday and met
the families of the victims. PTI SCH
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)