A team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials faced protests from a section of residents of Chandga village in North Dinajpur district on Friday when they went there in connection with the probe into the death of Mrityunjoy Barman.

Barman, 33, had died on April 26 after a police officer had fired at him during a raid on Chandga. The police reached the village to nab some persons who had allegedly been involved in the violence at Kaliaganj in the district.

When the police detained a couple of villagers, Barman raised protests. This made a police officer fire at Barman who died on the spot.

After the incident, the state government ordered a CID probe. The youth’s family, however, is insisting on a CBI investigation.

When the CID team reached the village on Friday afternoon, a section of villagers voiced their protests and alleged that the agency was not probing the case in an unbiased manner.

Bishnu Barman, Mrityunjoy’s cousin and a local panchayat member of the BJP, said the villagers had become agitated as they had learned that the CID had included as witnesses some people who had no connection with the incident.

“One such witness is Kalipada Barman, a former resident of Chandga who stays in Radhikapur now, which is 4km from here. Also, Ratan Rajbanshi, a migrant worker who came to the village three days after the firing, is another witness in the case. Further, Krishna Barman, another youth, who had fractured his leg two weeks before the incident and was nowhere near the location where the firing took place has also been named as a witness. Because of such activities, locals have demonstrated before the team,” said Bishnu.

The team led by Aneesh Sarkar, a special superintendent of the agency posted in Malda, spoke to the aggrieved villagers and sought to pacify them. They then went to the youth’s house and spoke to his family members.

Rabindranath, Mrityunjoy’s father, said: “My son was gunned down by a police officer in front of my eyes. We have no faith in the CID. Yet, we cooperated with them today. But the manner in which they have found some people and recorded their statements as witnesses has only added to our apprehension. That is why we have demanded a CBI probe.”

Members of the CID team declined comments.

“The investigation is in progress. Once we gather all details, a report will be placed before appropriate authorities,” said one of them.

Firearm seized

A tea of Pradhannagar police station under Siliguri Metropolitan Police arrested one person on Thursday evening and seized an automatic firearm, along with live cartridges, from him.

Sujan Sharma, a resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar, was spotted roaming in a suspicious manner near the state guest house. This made a police team intercept him. As he was frisked, the revolver, six rounds of live cartridges and two magazines were found.