'Those responsible for killings will be brought to book': Mamata Banerjee after meeting families of deceased

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday visited Cooch Behar that witnessed violence during the fourth phase of polling last week in which five people were killed including four in CISF firing.

Banerjee lamented that she could not meet the next of kin of the deceased earlier owing to a 72-hour ban on entry of political leaders in Cooch Behar, where four people were gunned down by CISF personnel, who fired in "self defence", on April 10.

The deaths, all in Cooch Behar's Sitalkuchi, sparked a political slugfest in the politically volatile state, with the ruling TMC and BJP blaming each other for the violence.

Speaking at a rally after meeting the families of the deceased, she said, "I have met the kin of all five victims. They are like my own family… I will respond to bullets with ballots".

The Chief Minister also said that those responsible for the Cooch Behar killings will be tracked and brought to book.

Banerjee said she will also ensure justice for the family of Ananda Burman, an 18-year-old first-time voter who was shot dead outside a polling booth in the same district.

Banerjee on Sunday called the firing incident a “genocide”, claiming that the Central Industrial Security Forces shot the deceased “in the chest or neck”.

“This is a genocide. They sprayed bullets. They could have shot on the leg or below the knee but every bullet hit them in the neck or chest area,” she said at a press conference in Siliguri, adding that the CISF has no idea about controlling mobs and they are trained for industrial areas.

She also spoke to the families of the deceased through video call during her press meet and said, “I will come to meet you on April 14.”

• CISF
• Cooch Behar
• Mamata Banerjee
• political leaders
• self defence