Family members and some neighbours of Mrityunjoy Barman, allegedly killed in police firing on April 27, on Tuesday spoke to the Raiganj subdivisional officer who got their statements recorded.

Barman, 33, who worked in Siliguri, had come with his wife and child to his ancestral home at Chandga, a village in Kaliaganj block of North Dinajpur, at a time tension was running high over the death of a 17-year-old girl in the district.

After his death, the administration ordered a magisterial-level inquiry and the state ordered a CID probe.

SDO Kingshuk Maity was asked to conduct the inquiry. Accordingly, he issued a public notice that anybody with information about the incident can get his or her statements recorded. He also asked all police personnel who were part of the raid in Chandga on April 26 night and the small hours of April 27 to appear before him.

Around 11am, Barman’s family members and 40 other Chandga residents reached the BDO office in Kaliaganj town.

Maity spoke with each separately, which were video-recorded. Among those who gave statements were Barman’s father Rabindranath, wife Gouri and cousin Bishnu.

Gouri later said she narrated in detail how her husband was gunned down by the police.

“I told the SDO my husband was shot without provocation. We want exemplary punishment of the police officer and a CBI probe,” the wife said.

Satyacharan Barman, a villager who recorded his statement, later said: "Late that night (April 26), I realised a police team had come. When I went outside, some cops asked me to go inside my house. At that time only, Mrityunjoy was protesting the detention of some persons when a police officer opened fire. He was shot and collapsed on the spot,” said the villager.

An administrative source said statements of 27 persons were recorded and few others gave written statements. "No cop came today. They will be called next week,” he said.