Birbum violence: Hope Bengal will punish those responsible: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the violence which broke out in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Tuesday, killing eight people. Speakng virtually at Biplobi Bharat Gallery function at Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata, he expressed condolences for the violent incident in Birbhum and  hope that the state government will definitely punish those who committed such a heinous sin in the great land of Bengal. Modi urged the people of Bengal to never forgive the perpetrators of such incidents and those who encourage such criminals, he said. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee  said "such incidents have happened in Gujarat and Rajasthan too" and assured action "in a fair manner". She also said she would visit the area on Thursday. I am not justifying the incident in Rampurhat, she said. The Birbhum killings have escalated into a massive political row with the BJP in Bengal as well as the Centre.

Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court took a suo motu cognisance of the violence and directed the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CSFL) to collect evidence samples from the crime scene and protect eyewitnesses. The Court also asked the state government to file a report in the case before it by 2pm Thursday, when the matter will be taken up for hearing again. The petitioner in the Birbhum violence case told the Calcutta High Court that the matter was 'reminiscent of the Godhra incident where people were burnt on the train'.

A BJP delegation led by Suvendu Adhikari has reached Birbhum. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) can come and investigate the case since there was an explosion, Adhikari said. "We have no faith in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed since it is being operated by Mamata Banerjee herself. There is a need for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)," he said."Mamata Banerjee should take the onus and resign. Three members of the SIT are tainted. We want the CBI to investigate," Arjun Singh echoed Adhikari.