Eight charred bodies found in Bengal’s Birbhum hours after TMC deputy gram pradhan’s death

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While police denied any political angle and said it was a case of rivalry between two groups, the incident found an echo in New Delhi and Kolkata as the Union Home Ministry sought a report from the state government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar summoned the chief secretary, and the state government set up a Special Investigation Team. Opposition parties targetted the state government for the “deteriorating law and order”, with the BJP walking out of the state Assembly in protest.

Police said Bhadu Sheikh, 38, the deputy pradhan who is associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress, was standing near the Bogtui crossing late Monday evening when four men on two motorcycles allegedly lobbed crude bombs at him. Sheikh was taken to the government hospital in Rampurhat block, but died on the way.

File photo of Bhadu Sheikh.

Hours later, a cluster of houses, including that of Fatikh Sheikh and those belonging to relatives of Sona Sheikh — two of the accused in Bhadu’s murder who are now absconding — was allegedly attacked and set on fire, leading to the death of eight people. While the charred bodies recovered from the houses are yet to be identified, police said women and children are among those killed. Meena Bibi, the wife of accused Fatikh Sheikh who succumbed to her burn injuries in hospital, is the only one to have been identified so far.

On Tuesday morning, a big crowd gathered outside Bhadu Sheikh’s house to mourn his death while the family prepared for his last rites. Across the narrow lane from Bhadu’s house stood the burnt houses, including of Sona Sheikh’s relatives from where the bodies were recovered.

Bhadu’s younger brother Jehangir said, “After my brother was killed, hundreds of people from five villages gathered here. People were angry and they gave vent to their anger. We do not know who did what in the crowd.”

Villagers and his family members accuse Sona and Fatikh of killing Bhadu and say they were all friends and party colleagues but fell out as Bhadu gained political and financial clout. Their bitter rivalry took a new turn on January 5 last year when Bhadu’s brother Babar Sheikh was murdered.

“My brother, Sona Sheikh, Fatikh Sheikh and the other accused all worked for the Trinamool Congress. My brother used to pay them Rs 20,000 to 30,000 every month. But they were jealous that he was getting rich and powerful… He had several businesses. Even the day before yesterday, we got a call from them threatening to kill my brother,” said Jehangir.

Bhadu’s 85-year-old father Marfaus Hossain said, “Sona Sheikh, Chunnu Sheikh… all of them were with my son Bhadu. A year ago, they killed my elder son Babar Sheikh. Police did not arrest anyone. After a few months, they surrendered in court and got bail.”

At least eight houses were set on fire in Birbhum on Monday night. (Express photo by Partha Paul)

Referring to the 11 arrests in the second case, Bhadu’s wife Tebila Bibi said, “Police have arrested our people. They should be released. I lost my husband and want the culprits who killed my husband to be hanged.”

Speaking in Kolkata, West Bengal DGP Manoj Malviya said, “Eight people were killed in the fire incident – seven bodies were recovered from a house and one of the three persons injured in the incident succumbed to injuries today at the hospital.”

An SIT headed by ADG CID Gyanwant Singh has been set up to probe the incident. Malviya said the investigation will look into the fire at the house that led to the eight deaths. “Whether the house was set on fire in retaliation to the deputy gram pradhan’s death or whether it was due to some other reason is being probed,” added Malvyia.

The DGP also said, “It is not political rivalry. It could be deep-rooted personal enmity between two groups.”

The inspector-in-charge and sub-divisional police officer of Rampurhat block, under which the village falls, have been suspended.

A TMC delegation headed by State Transport Minister Firhad Hakim, who is also the mayor of Kolkata, visited the spot and met Bhadu’s family members.

Later, speaking to reporters, Hakim referred to the incidents as a “conspiracy”. “Those who have maligned the image of West Bengal by conspiring to carry out this incident will not be spared. The government has ordered a high-level inquiry. Anyone and everyone who is involved will be arrested, whether they are from the CPM, BJP or the TMC.”

Seeking an “urgent update” from Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who has been in a long standoff with the state government, tweeted, “Horrifying violence and arson orgy #Rampurhat #Birbhum indicates state is in grip of violence culture and lawlessness. Already eight lives lost. Have sought urgent update on the incident from Chief Secretary. My thoughts are with the families of the bereaved.”

Responding to Dhankar’s tweet, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to the Governor, saying, “It pains me that you have chosen an unfortunate incident which occurred in Rampurhat on 21.03.2022 that resulted in loss of precious lives, to pass sweeping and uncalled for comments on the law and order situation in the State… As you are aware that in this incident, one important TMC party functionary, who was also Upa-Pradhan of the Gram Panchayat, was brutally attacked and killed by some unknown miscreants. The political identity of the perpetrators of the crime is a subject of the investigation. Moreover, fire in some houses resulted in the loss of precious lives. The possibility of a larger political conspiracy to malign the image of the State cannot be ruled out and the investigation will make all-out efforts to unearth all those who are behind the occurrence of the incident.”

The Birbhum violence also saw the Opposition BJP attacking the state government and demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the Home portfolio.

“Law & order in a rapid freefall in WB. Tension & terror has gripped Rampurhat area of Birbhum district, after panchayat upoprodhan… Bhadu Sheikh was reportedly killed last evening in a bomb attack. Angry mob ransacked and set afire several houses afterwards,” he tweeted, calling it a “genocide-like incident” and demanding an NIA probe.

State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to “apprise him of the situation” and later said Joint Secretary-level officers of the Home Ministry would visit Bengal soon.

The Bengal BJP filed a PIL in the Calcutta High Court demanding a CBI and NIA probe into the incident and also compensation for the families of those who died in the attack on their homes. The court is likely to hear the matter later this week.

Calling the incident a “massacre”, CPM state secretary Mohammad Salim said, “Again a minister will visit the spot but who will take the responsibility of the deaths? Attempts are being made to suppress the incident,” he said.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh called it a “local conflict”. “The deaths due to the fire incident in Rampurhat are unfortunate. But it has got nothing to do with politics. It is a local conflict. Yesterday, TMC’s deputy gram pradhan was killed. He was popular. People were angry. The fire incident took place a few hours after the incident at night. The police and fire officials are taking action,” he said.