A man facing 36 criminal cases was shot dead in a police encounter in Bengal's Birbhum district on Sunday, two days after he allegedly opened fire at a police constable during an attempt to arrest him. The deceased, identified as Ratan Sheikh, was declared dead at Bolpur Subdivisional Hospital.
According to district police officers, Sheikh allegedly fired at the police team when he was taken to Nanoor to recover the pistol used in the Friday shooting. The police returned fire, claiming they acted in self-defence.
The incident marks the fifth police encounter resulting in a death in West Bengal since the BJP came to power in May.
Police say Sheikh opened fire during weapon recovery
A district police officer said Sheikh was traced during a manhunt ordered by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who had visited injured constable Biswajit Das at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital on Saturday.
"Ratan Sheikh, a man with a long criminal history, was found during a manhunt ordered by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari who visited the injured constable, Biswajit Das, at the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital on Saturday," a Birbhum district police officer said, requesting anonymity.
Another officer said police questioned Sheikh on Sunday about the location of the firearm. He reportedly led them to a spot near a bridge in Nanoor, where the pistol was allegedly kept.
The officer said Sheikh suddenly opened fire, with bullets hitting a police vehicle. The team retaliated, and Sheikh sustained bullet injuries.
The injured man was taken to Bolpur Subdivisional Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His body was subsequently moved to the morgue.
Constable shot during Friday arrest attempt
The sequence of events began on Friday when a police team went to the Layekbazar bus stand in the Santiniketan police station area of Bolpur to arrest Sheikh in connection with one of the 36 cases against him.
Constable Biswajit Das was shot in the leg during the operation. Sheikh had allegedly opened fire shortly after being released on bail in one of the cases.
The four earlier deaths in police encounters since May involved three men accused in the rape and murder of minor girls and a prime suspect in the murder of a BJP worker.
The Birbhum district police had not issued an official statement on Sheikh's death till 7 pm on Sunday.