Birbhum violence shows law and order has nosedived, says Bengal governor

DGP says 11 people have been arrested

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ ITDC NEWS R West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar described the killing of eight people in Birbhum district early on Tuesday as a “horrifying barbarity”.

Eight people were killed after a mob set fire to their houses in Rampurhat area of Birbhum, allegedly in retaliation for the killing of a TMC leader in the area on Monday.

Dhankhar shared a video statement on Twitter on the incident. He said he was “considerably pained and disturbed” by the incident. Dhankhar said the incident was “indicative of nosediving of law and order in the state”. Dhankhar alleged the administration was not rising above partisan interests.

He also sought an urgent update from the chief secretary. “This matter makes it difficult to resist [allegations] in state of West Bengal, human rights are in decimation and rule of law has capsized,” Dhankhar said.

Meanwhile, West Bengal DGP Manoj Malviya said that earlier reports of 10 deaths in the Birbhum incident were not correct. He said a total of eight people had died, with seven bodies being recovered in one house. Malviya was quoted by ANI as saying “An hour after the news of the murder of TMC leader Bahadur Sheikh last night, 7-8 nearby houses were set on fire; 11 people arrested in this regard. The concerned SDPO and Rampurhat In-charge have been removed from their post.”

He said a special investigation team had been constituted to probe the incident.

Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly, demanded “immediate Central intervention” over the Birbhum incident. Adhikari tweeted “The night-long barbarity has lead to the death of at least 12 people till now; mostly women. Charred bodies are being recovered as of now. Administrative cover-up has already begun with attempts being made to lower the body count. IMMEDIATE CENTRAL INTERVENTION REQUIRED.”

Adhikari also shared a graphic of what he alleged were 26 political murders in various districts over the past week and demanded the resignation of Mamata Banerjee from her position as state home minister.