In a major development in the Birbhum violence, police on Thursday arrested Rampurhat TMC Block President Anarul Hossain.
This came after West Bengal Chief Minister directed the police to arrest Hossain stating that he did not pay proper attention to the apprehension of locals about a possible disturbance in the area, leading to the carnage.
Searches were conducted in various parts of the district including Hossain's residence, after which he was nabbed from Tarapith. He was picked up from near a hotel after police tracked his mobile phone location, a police officer said.
Describing the burning alive of eight people as a "heinous crime", Banerjee criticised the role of the Rampurhat SDPO Shayan Ahmed and other police officers and said it could have been averted if the police were proactive.
Those officers should be punished for "negligence in duty", the CM said.
Later, the SDPO was suspended by the district police authorities. He has been transferred to Officer on Compulsory Waiting (OCW) WBPD, news agency ANI reported.
Banerjee, who landed at a helipad near Bogtui village, also promised permanent government jobs to members of the 10 affected families.
"Police will ensure strictest punishment is handed out to culprits responsible for the Rampurhat carnage. The case filed before the court should be water-tight," she said.
The chief minister announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the victims, and Rs 2 lakh each for rebuilding the damaged houses.
Those injured will be provided Rs 50,000 each, she added.
"Police has been ordered to throw a dragnet to unearth secret caches of illicit firearms and bombs across Bengal," Banerjee said.
Eight people, including two children, were charred to death as nearly a dozen huts were set ablaze in Birbhum district early Tuesday in a suspected fallout of the murder of a ruling TMC panchayat official.
(With PTI inputs)
