Birbhum District Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar confirmed the death of Kurban Seikh (32), Buro Seikh (28) and Murtaja Seikh (30), but said that a post-mortem could only say if they were shot at, though "bullet injury was found on one of the three".
According to eye-witnesses, the three were on their way from Bolpur to Nanoor by a scooter when near Nimtola More an ambulance hit the two-wheeler.
Following this, the occupants of the ambulance came out and shot at the three from close range, the eye-witnesses said adding all three were declared dead on arrival when taken to the Bolpur sub-divisional hospital.