Calcutta High Court takes suo moto cognisance of Birbhum arson, hearing at 2 pm

The hearing on the case will begin at 2 pm on Wednesday.

Deputy chief of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC)-ruled Barshal village panchayat, Bhadu Sheikh, was killed after five unidentified miscreants had hurled crude bombs at him at Bogtui village in Birbhum's Rampurhat on Monday night.

After the TMC leader's death was confirmed by a local hospital, tension erupted at Bogtui village and multiple houses in the area were allegedly ransacked and set on fire.

A state fire and emergency services official said three charred bodies had been recovered on Monday late night from a house.

Later on Tuesday morning, after dousing the blaze, firemen recovered seven more charred bodies from a burnt house.

Sources in the local hospital said there were several children and women among the victims.

A senior official of West Bengal police force said the state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will investigate the matter while a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by ADG CID Gyanwant Singh has already been formed.

After visiting the scene, Birbhum SP Nagendranath Tripathi said a forensic team will investigate the cause behind the house fire, while 20 people have been arrested so far.

A senior state police official said the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the local police station and local SDPO have been 'closed' from duties.

TMC alleges conspiracy

Earning criticism from the Opposition, TMC's Birbhum district president and powerful leader Anubrata Mondal claimed that the fire had started in those houses at Bogtui village due to a short circuit in a television set.

West Bengal Minister and TMC veteran Firhad Hakim visited the spot and cried "conspiracy" behind the incident.

"A conspiracy has been hatched to defame the TMC. The truth must come out," said Hakim.

Opposition lashes out at Mamata govt

Slamming the government, West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari sought intervention from the central government.

Adhikari has also demanded the President's rule in the state, which has been ruled by the TMC since 2011.

He tweeted, "Law & order in a rapid freefall in WB. Tension & terror has gripped Rampurhat area of Birbhum district, after a panchayat upoprodhan (deputy chief); Bhadu Sheik was reportedly killed last evening in a bomb attack. Angry mob ransacked and set afire several houses afterwards."

"The nightlong 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," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Nandigram said tagging the Governor and Union Home Ministry.

A BJP delegation comprising its MPs also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested through a letter to take steps to control "this spate of violence".

Condemning the police inaction in the entire incident, West Bengal CPI-M state secretary Md. Salim said, "It is a clear cut violence. A massacre. Police are in collusion (with TMC goons). In Birbhum, all attacks on the Opposition (in the past) took place under the supervision of police."

Pledging to draw President's attention towards the incident, Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the TMC government saying, "TMC will collapse in the fire which was lit by Mamata Banerjee herself."

"The state is moving towards Presidenti's rule," he added.