CBI To Conduct Psychological Test of 9 Arrested in Birbhum Massacre: Report

A CBI officer also said that DNA tests would be conducted to identify the deceased persons.

The charred bodies of eight people were recovered from Rampurhat in Birbhum district after nearly 10-12 houses were set ablaze, the police said.

(Photo: PTI)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday, 2 April, informed that it would conduct a forensic psychological assessment of the nine persons arrested in the Birbhum massacre, in which at least eight people were charred to death on 21 March.

A psychologist will monitor the body language and facial expressions of the suspects during the assessments, a CBI officer told news agency PTI.

"Forensic psychological assessment will be used while grilling the nine suspects. This is to ascertain whether these persons are telling the truth or lying," the officer told news agency PTI.

The central agency, which took over investigations into the case from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the West Bengal government, said that preliminary evidence suggested that the violence was a possible act of revenge.

A CBI officer also said that DNA tests of the deceased would be conducted to identify the bodies.

"The affected families have told us that they were unable to identify the bodies. The DNA tests will help us in identifying them," the officer told PTI.