CBI makes first arrests in Birbhum killings, nabs four suspects from Mumbai

Rampurhat (WB) CBI sleuths on Thursday nabbed four West Bengal residents from Mumbai for th

CBI sleuths on Thursday nabbed four West Bengal residents from Mumbai for their alleged involvement in the Birbhum killings, an officer of the agency said.

These were the first arrests made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) since it took over the probe into the March 21 killings in Bogtui village as per the Calcutta High Court's order.

The four accused had fled from Bogtui to the Maharashtra capital soon after the killings, and they were apprehended from their hideout early on Thursday morning.

"Of the four arrested accused, two persons — identified as Bappa and Shabu Sheikh — were named in the FIR lodged in connection with the killings. We will produce them before a court in Mumbai and plea for a transit remand to West Bengal," he said.

Eight people were burnt alive, and one succumbed to injuries later, after assailants firebombed several houses in the village hours after the murder of local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh.

A Special Investigation Team constituted by the state government was earlier probing the case.