Birbhum Carnage– Advocates Of Calcutta HC Write To Governor Seeking High-Level Inquiry
In a letter addressed to the Governor of West Bengal Mr. Jagdeep Dhankar, Advocates of the Calcutta High Court have requested the Governor to direct a high-level inquiry into the Birbhum Carnage that took place in Bagtui village, Rampurhat in Birbhum District, West Bengal.
More than eighty Advocates have strongly condemned the incident and have stated that the incident should not be taken in isolation, as the law-and-order situation in the state has been in a miserable condition for several years since the results in the General Elections to the West Bengal Assemble were declared on May 2, 2021.
Further, the Advocates have also mentioned in the letter that the condition in the State has been despicable and that the citizens have no confidence in the system as the police authorities have not been acting in an impartial manner and they have been mute spectators of the incident.
Also, the Advocates have stated that the public utterances of the DG & IGP, West Bengal, have shaken their belief in the system.
The letter also states that the State has been witnessing several murders on a regular basis. The lawyers have mentioned that the role of the police and administration remains questionable and deplorable.
The Advocates have prayed for the intervention of the Governor to ensure that the administration of the State is carried out in accordance with the Constitution of India and the rule of law is established in the State of West Bengal since it is passing through a grave Constitutional crisis and there exists no rule of law.
The Governor, after receiving the letter interacted with the Advocates virtually and assured to protect, preserve and establish the Constitution and Constitutional values in West Bengal.
Today, the Calcutta High Court has ordered the Bengal police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI will submit its status report to the Court in a week's time. The next hearing is scheduled for April 7.
The incident took place in the Birbhum district in West Bengal on March 22, 2022, soon after the murder of the local leader of All India Trinamool Congress (Ruling Party). During the carnage, houses were torched as a revenge attack, and several women and children were charred to death. Also, the families living in the area are under constant threat and have been compelled to leave their houses in the fear of further attacks.