Lalgarh killings: Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe

Kolkata, Feb 18 (ANI): The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the January 7 killings in Lalgarh's Netai village.

The orders of the court came on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Calcutta Bar Association in January demanding a CBI probe into the incident.

"You should go to the top to find out who ordered the setting of the armed camps in the Lalgarh area," the court said rapping the CBI.

Earlier on January 19, the court refused to order the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI to probe the January 7 killings in Lalgarh's Netai village.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe into the Lalgarh killings, the court directed the state CID to continue to probe the matter.

In an interim order, the court, however, said it would monitor the progress of the investigation by the CID.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J N Patal and Justice A K Roy also directed the West Bengal Government to pay compensation to the kin of the dead and those injured in the incident within seven days.

The court directed the Joint Forces to find out if armed camps existed in the Jangalmahal area and to destroy them if they are found.

The state CID on February 13 put media insertions of six fugitives accused in the Netai carnage announcing Rs 50,000 cash prize to those, who would help the police trace them.

Nine villagers were killed in Lalgarh's Netai village after gunmen fired on a crowd, allegedly from inside a CPM 'camp' on the morning of January 7.

The villagers, who had gathered to protest against demands made by Marxist armed cadre that they volunteer for night patrols and arms training, were fired at from a house at Netai village in Belatikri gram panchayat in Lalgarh police station area. (ANI)