Autopsy report reveals Birbhum arson victims were thrashed before being burnt alive

Rampurhat, West Bengal: The forensic examination of the eight people who were burnt alive in West Bengal's Birbhum district has revealed that they were badly beaten up before the carnage.

The forensic experts in their preliminary investigation found that the victims were first badly beaten up and then burnt alive, an official from Rampurhat hospital told the PTI news agency.

At least 20 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident, suspected to have been triggered by the killing of a local Trinamool leader on Monday evening, and several police personnel and civic volunteers removed on grounds of negligence.

The opposition parties including the BJP have called it a retaliatory political killing while the state government has denied this and has set up an SIT to probe the carnage.

Security has heightened in Rampurhat to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's scheduled to visit later today.

CCTV cameras have been set up around the helipad where the Chief Minister's helicopter will land, a senior police officer said.

Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to hold meetings with senior police officers including Director General of Police Manoj Malaviya before visiting Bogtui. Later, she may also visit Rampurhat hospital to meet the injured people, another official said.

State Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and a five-member central team of the BJP are also scheduled to visit Bogtui.

Mamata Banerjee has vowed that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators irrespective of the party affiliation even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the killings as "heinous" and said that those guilty should not be forgiven.