Kolkata, 15 November (H.S.) :

In yet another instance of a police 'encounter' in West Bengal, a notorious criminal who recently fired at a police team was killed in a shootout within just two days. The accused, identified as Ratan Sheikh, was gunned down by the police in the Laikbazar area under the Santiniketan police station limits in Birbhum district. This marks the fifth such incident in the state in recent days.

On Friday evening, when a police team went to apprehend Ratan in Laikbazar, he opened indiscriminate fire upon finding himself surrounded. Police constable Biswajit Das sustained a bullet wound to his left leg during the attack. The injured constable was initially rushed to the Bolpur Sub-divisional Hospital, later referred to the Burdwan Medical College, and finally shifted to a hospital in Kolkata on Sunday for advanced treatment.

Just a day prior to the encounter, Chief Minister and Home Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the injured constable at the Burdwan Medical College on Saturday. Highly praising the cop's bravery, the Chief Minister sent a strong message, stating that the blood shed by the police would not go in vain and the culprits would face justice. Asserting that the police have the freedom to take necessary steps based on ground realities, Adhikari emphasized that police personnel, like any other citizen, have the right to protect their own lives. He sternly remarked that guns and bullets are not given to the police merely to be kept in their pockets, but to be used at the appropriate time. Adhikari further stated that the police have been given a free hand to deal with murderers, goons, and criminals, assuring strict action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the police, the accused Ratan Sheikh, a resident of Saota village in Birbhum's Nanoor, was a notorious criminal in the region. He had several serious criminal cases registered against him, including the possession of illegal firearms and drug smuggling. Although he was arrested a few months ago, he managed to secure bail last Friday. Immediately after his release, when the police attempted to arrest him in connection with another case, he opened fire at the team.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also raised serious questions regarding the procedure by which the accused was granted bail during the court's Puja vacation. Stating that the circumstances under which he secured bail during the holidays are a matter of investigation, the Chief Minister added that the role of the concerned public prosecutor would also be scrutinized. Adhikari expressed profound shock over the fact that the accused, Ratan Sheikh, had been granted bail in 36 cases simultaneously.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh