Two accused shot dead in separate police encounters in Bengal in a day

Two men accused in separate criminal cases were killed in police encounters in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas and Murshidabad districts on Tuesday after they allegedly snatched firearms from on-duty police personnel and opened fire while attempting to escape, officials familiar with the developments told HT.

Prahlad Das, 23, arrested in connection with the rape and murder of a minor girl in North 24 Parganas, and Samiul Sheikh, 40, held for the murder of a BJP worker in Murshidabad, were shot dead. Das was arrested on Sunday, hours after the body of a Class 11 student, who had gone missing on Saturday, was recovered. Police took him to the crime scene in Gaighata at around 2:50 am on Tuesday for a reconstruction of the crime, officers said.

According to police, Das attacked the personnel while the team was returning from the spot.

“Das had confessed to the crime during interrogation and was taken to the spot for reconstruction of the crime. While the team was returning, he snatched the service revolver of a sub-inspector and fired three rounds at the police. Two policemen were injured. Police fired four rounds in self-defence, and Das was injured. He died at a hospital,” a police officer said on condition of anonymity.

BJP worker’s murder case

In the second incident, Sheikh was shot dead after allegedly snatching a firearm from a police officer and attempting to flee when he was taken to a location near Dhuliyan market in Murshidabad district on Tuesday morning.

Police personnel opened fire, injuring Sheikh. He was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead, officials said.

The case relates to the disappearance of BJP worker Sujit Mondal, who went missing on August 28. Three people, including Sheikh, were arrested in connection with the case.

On September 3, the three accused led police to a spot along a canal bank, where a human limb was recovered. DNA analysis subsequently established that the remains belonged to Mondal, police said.

West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari later handed over the investigation to the state police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Similar encounter in July

The latest incidents come months after a similar encounter in July, when an accused in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas district, was shot dead by police.

The accused had allegedly snatched an officer’s firearm and fired at police personnel while being taken to the crime scene, following which the police opened fire.