West Bengal CID to probe into unnatural death of Bogtui case accused, Lalan Sheikh

The prime accused in the Bogtui case, Lalan Sheikh was found hanging inside the toilet on December 12.

Earlier on Tuesday, family members of Lalan Sheikh, the prime accused in the Bogtui violence, staged a protest in front of the CBI office in Birbhum. CBI said Lalan had hanged himself inside the camp's toilet on Monday evening.

Sheikh's wife Reshma Bibi lodged an FIR with the police in this regard and has accused the central agency of torturing her husband to death. Lalan Sheikh has been accused of burning eight people alive at Bogtui village in March this year and had been absconding since then. The CBI arrested him from Jharkhand on December 3.

In her complaint to the police, she alleged that her husband was tortured and was being forced to take some big names in his confession which he denied. She, even alleged that the CBI officials had visited her home looking for a hard drive and even threatened her with dire consequences if she failed to hand it over to them.

Birbhum Superintendent of Police, Nagendra Nath Tripathi on Monday said that an enquiry would be initiated into the death of Lalan Sheikh and all due process would be followed in this regard. "A case of unnatural death will be registered and the matter will be investigated to ascertain the cause of death," Birbhum SP had said.

On March 21, eight persons were burnt alive after huts were set ablaze at Bogtui village on March 21. One more succumbed to her burns later in a hospital. The violence took place after the murder of Bhadu Sheikh, a local Trinamool functionary.

On the Calcutta High Court on March 25 ordered the investigation to be handed over to the CBI. Lalan Sheikh, the prime accused in this case was absconding since then till he was apprehended by the CBI. (ANI)