10 'burnt alive' in India's Bengal

Ten people were "burnt alive" in the wee hours of Tuesday as goons went on a rampage, setting houses on fire, in the eastern Indian state of Bengal to avenge a ruling party politician's murder.

The horrific carnage took place in Bengal's Birbhum district, some 200 kms from state capital Kolkata, hours after local Trinamool Congress leader Bhadu Pradhan was killed in a crude bomb attack, police said.

Bengal Police chief Manoj Malaviya told the media in Kolkata that seven charred bodies were recovered just from one of the four to five burnt houses in the Rampurhat area of the district.

Local TV channels beamed footage of the charred houses and claimed, quoting police sources, that three more people succumbed to their burn injuries at a nearby hospital.

"The situation is now under control and a police picket has been set up in the area. We are investigating how the houses caught fire and whether this was related to the death of Pradhan,"  Malaviya said.

According to the director general of police, some senior local police officials have been removed from their posts. "Also, a special investigation team has also been formed to probe the deaths," he added.

Last year, Bengal witnessed massive post-poll violence in which 16 people were killed, prompting the Indian Home Ministry to seek a report from the state administration.

In fact, on 6 May , a day after she was sworn in as the chief minister of Bengal for the third time, Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation of Rs two lakh each for the families of the 16 victims.

Appealing for calm, Mamata had also asked her supporters not to indulge in violence. "Bengal is a peace-loving place. During the elections, there has been some heat and dust and calm. But I appeal to all for calm."

Bucking anti-incumbency, Mamata scripted history on May 2 by single-handedly pulling off an astounding victory in the assembly election, staving off a massive challenge from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.