Eight people died after a mob allegedly set homes on fire at Rampurhat in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Monday night, following the murder of Trinamool Congress panchayat leader Bahadur Shaikh. 

Police said around 10-12 houses were set on fire by the mob within an hour after the alleged murder of the TMC leader. They recovered the charred bodies in the early hours of Tuesday.

DGP Manoj Malaviya told reporters in Kolkata that seven bodies were recovered from one of the burnt houses, while one injured person died in hospital.

“The situation is now under control and a police picket has been established in the village since last night. We are investigating how the houses caught fire and whether the incident is related to the death of the panchayat deputy chief of Barshal village,” he said.

The SDPO and in-charge of Rampurhat police station have been removed from active policing duty, he added.

A special investigation team headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh has been set up by the state government. 

Meanwhile, BJP legislators walked out of the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday, demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee make a statement on the floor of the House regarding the incident. 

BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh and 40 other members of BJP walked out of the House, shouting ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Dhikkar Dhikkar’(condemn). Ghosh later told reporters that political killings have been taking place in the state after the announcement of the assembly poll results last year.

“Today we did not disrupt the session in the first half. We took part in discussions related to education and irrigation and health. But once we got the news about the death of the ten people in an act of arson by ruling party activists, we wanted to list the issue for Zero Hour. The Speaker did not allow. We demanded the statement of the chief minister. But when our demands are not heard, we are left with no other option but to walk out,” he said.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also strongly condemned the incident, saying that the state is in the grip of a culture of “violence and lawlessness.”

“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,” he tweeted.

The incident is indicative of deterioration of law and order in the state, he added.

“The administration is required to rise above partisan interests which in spite of cautions is not being reflected in reality,” Dhankhar said in a televised message attached with the tweet.