Prime accused in Bogtui massacre in Bengal hospitalised

Kolkata, June 15 (IANS) Trinamool Congress leader Anarual Hossain, the prime accused in the Bogtui village carnage in Birbhum district of West Bengal, was hospitalised on Wednesday morning after he reported severe physical ailments.

He is currently under treatment at the critical care unit (CCU) of the local Rampurhat Government Medical College & Hospital and heavy security deployment has been arranged outside the CCU considering the sensitivity of the matter.

It is learnt that Hossain has been admitted with multiple complications including that of cardiac problems, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.

Ten persons were killed in the Bogtui massacre. On March 21 this year, Trinamool Congress heavyweight and panchayat deputy chief Vadu Sekh was killed in broad daylight. Following that, major tension and violence broke out at Bogtui, when several houses were set under fire. Eight persons including women and children were killed on the spot. Later one more woman died in hospital taking the death toll in the massacre to 10 (including Vadu Sekh).

On March 24, Anarual Hossain, the prime accused, was arrested from a hotel at the pilgrimage town of Tarapith near Rampurhat.

Meanwhile, following an order of the Calcutta High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started two parallel probes in the matter, the first relating to the carnage and the second relating to the reasons that prompted to the murder of Vadu Sekh.

The CBI on June 7 informed the Calcutta High Court that they expect to file the charge sheet on the Bogtui massacre in the last week of this month. The central agency has already submitted two reports regarding progress in investigation in the case.

As per initial investigations, control over illegal sand and stone mining rampant in the area coupled with infighting in the ruling Trinamool Congress apparently resulted into the murder of Vadu Sekh and the carnage that followed.