On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee visited a village in Bengal’s Birbhum where eight people – all women and children were beaten and burnt alive by a mob on Tuesday and said that the suspects would be hunted down if they did not surrender.
“I never believed something so barbaric can happen in modern Bengal. Mothers and Children were killed. Your family members died but it is my heart that was crushed.”, Mamata Banerjee said, surrounded by the family members and the relatives of those killed, besides villagers. The Chief Minister also alleged that “something big” was behind the incident.
Alleging a bigger conspiracy, she called for “stringent action” and said the police would investigate all angles. “Police will ensure strictest punishment is handed out to culprits responsible for the Rampurhat carnage. The case filed before the court should be watertight”, Ms Banerjee said.
She summoned a top police officer right there and instructed him to punish policemen found negligent.
“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. Those whose homes have been burnt must be given ₹ 1 lakh to repair the houses,” Mamata Banerjee further said. She later revised the amount to ₹ 2 lakh.
