BIRBHUM KILLINGS: CBI ARRESTS FOUR FROM MUMBAI

KOLKATA: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday arrested four people from Mumbai in connection with the Birbhum killings, which triggered a political row across the state last month, agency’s officials said.

These are the first arrests made by the central agency which began probing the case after it was directed by the Calcutta high court to take over the investigation on March 25.

The four people, all hailing from West Bengal, were tracked using technical and human intelligence following which information was passed on to its Mumbai unit which apprehended them this morning, a CBI officer in Kolkata said, seeking anonymity.

The mobile locations of the four suspects were also traced near Bogtui village – the spot of the killings – on the day of the incident, the officer added.

Those arrested were identified as Bappa Sheikh, Sabu Sheikh, Taj Mohammad and Serajul Sheikh – all residents of Bogtui village.

“Two of the arrested men, Bappa Sheikh and Sabu Sheikh, were named by those who were held earlier by a special investigation team (SIT) of state police. All four had left for Mumbai on March 22,” the CBI officer said.

The suspects are being brought to Kolkata and are likely to be produced before a Birbhum court on Friday, the officer added. Eight people, including two children, were charred to death when eight huts were set ablaze in Bogtui village late on March 21, in a suspected fallout of the murder of a ruling Trinamool Congress panchayat official Bhadu Sheikh. One of the four people died in hospital on March 28, taking the toll to nine.