Woman succumbs to burn injuries, Rampurhat death toll rises to 10

Last month's violence in West Bengal's Rampurhat claimed its tenth victim when a woman, severely burnt in the Bogtui incident, succumbed to her injuries after a six-week battle for survival.

The allegedly orchestrated violence after the March 21 murder of Trinamool Deputy Panchayat leader Bhadu Sheikh is being probed by the country's premier investigative agency. Eight members of a family were charred to death on March 21 night in the arson.

With Atahar Bibi's death Sunday morning at Rampurhat hospital, the death toll touched ten. Another woman from the same family, Najma Bibi, who was critical, died a few days back, hospital sources said.


It is pertinent to mention that Atahar Bibi was released from hospital a few days ago but she was readmitted. The body of Atahar Bibi was sent for an autopsy.

"We have lost all the family members in the incident. From a little child, a newly-wed couple, who was my brother's daughter and her husband, just married two months back, and my 78-year-old mother, my wife and my brother's wife-all have died. We do not understand the meaning of staying alive," said Sheikh Lal Sheikh, one of the family members.

Sheikhlal and Mihilal Sheikh, two brothers in the family, who are alive, had escaped the fire on March 21 as they were not at home at the time of the incident. They have recorded their statement in front of the central agency.

"Atahar Bibi, when she returned home from hospital for a few days, told me that she had seen the neighbourhood persons, including Milan Sheikh, setting fire to the house that night," Mihilal Sheikh said.