Eight persons died in the early hours of Tuesday after their houses caught fire at Rampurhat in Birbhum district, police said.
The incident took place around an hour after the alleged murder of a Trinamool Congress leader on Monday, DGP Manoj Malaviya told reporters in Kolkata. He added that seven charred bodies were recovered from one of the burnt houses, while one injured person died in hospital.
He further said, “The situation is now under control and a police picket has been established in the village since last night. We are investigating how the houses caught fire and whether the incident is related to the death of the panchayat deputy chief of Barshal village.”
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Asked about claims by some fire brigade officials that 10 bodies were found, Malaviya clarified that while seven bodies were recovered after the fire was brought under control, three injured persons were rescued of whom one died in hospital.
He added that the state government has set up a special investigation team headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has said West Bengal is in a "rapid free-fall". BJP MLA and West Bengal's Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said these fires were retribution for the killing of Trinamool Congress's Bhadu Sheikh, who was the panchayat deputy chief of Barshal village.
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Adhikari also alleged 12 people died, not eight. He said, "Administrative cover-up has already begun with attempts being made to lower the body count."
The body of Sheikh was found in the area on Monday, according to police.
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar called the incident "horrifying violence and arson orgy". He has sought an update from the state's chief secretary.
Earlier this month, two elected councillors of TMC and Congress were shot dead in separate incidents in Panihati and Jhalda areas of the state. The Congress party had blamed TMC for their councillor's death.
With PTI inputs
