“Genocide”: Mamata Banerjee on Sitalkuchi violence, “bullets sprayed to hit neck, chest”

West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said that Saturday’s killing of four persons in Central forces’ firing at Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi is “genocide” and that the victims were “sprayed with bullets in the upper part of the body – on the chest and neck”.

Speaking at a press conference in Siliguri on Sunday morning, Banerjee said: “This is genocide. They have fired just like a spray. They should have fired below the waist. Photographs show that they were shot in the upper part of the body – on the chest and at the neck”. She added that the CISF is not trained for mob control, and they wanted to suppress facts, which is why they have not allowed political leaders to enter into the area for 72 hours. She spoke with families of victims over videocall from Siliguri. Manjur Mian, a relative of Hamidul Mian who died, said his brother, a mason, was shot while he was “standing in a queue to vote”. “He has a three-year-old daughter. His wife is expecting another baby,” he added.

Banerjee took to Twitter to say that the EC can ban her entry into the area for three days, but on the fourth day she would go there.

On Saturday, at around 10.30 am – during the polling in the fourth phase of elections – the CISF on duty at booth number 126 in Sitalkuchi constituency opened fire in which four persons died and several were injured. At least one person received a bullet injury.

The Special Police Observer for Bengal, Vivek Dube, sent a report to the Election Commission to say that the CISF had to fire in self-defence when villagers tried to snatch their weapons. There was a misunderstanding between villages and the CISF, he added.

Banerjee today said that “there are rules — first use lathis (batons), then tear gas, water cannon. But these were not done. Also, how was this done in self defence when no CISF personnel was injured?”