Kolkata, March 28 (TIWN): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Bogtui village in Birbhum, where houses were set on fire shortly after a village panchayat deputy chief was murdered. She asserted that strict action would be taken against the perpetrators of violence.

"I never believed something so barbaric can happen in modern Bengal. Mothers and children were killed," Mamata Banerjee said, surrounded by relatives of those killed, and other villagers at Bogtui.

"In this incident your family members have died but my heart has been crushed..."

Eight people, including six women and two children, were locked in their homes and burnt alive by a mob on Tuesday in what was believed to be retaliation after a local Trinamool Congress leader was killed in a crude bomb attack. Charred bodies were found a day later, mostly belonging to one family.

Describing the incident as "unfortunate", the Trinamool Congress chief said, "It was an attempt by the BJP, Left and the Congress to malign our government… Strict action will be taken against all those responsible for the Birbhum incident, irrespective of their (political) colour.