Kolkata, Nov 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari asserted on Sunday that law enforcement agencies will not remain silent if attacked, following the state's fifth police encounter in recent months.
Adhikari reiterated his administration's strict stance against violent crime, stating that there is no place for rapists and murderers in West Bengal.
"There is no place for rapists and murderers in Bengal. If you shoot the police, they will do whatever they want. Goons, flee to Bangladesh. If you stay here, I will do whatever I want," Adhikari declared, adding that the police have been granted a free hand to make spot decisions when confronted.
The Chief Minister's remarks followed the death of Ratan Sheikh, an accused criminal who was killed in a police encounter on Sunday afternoon in Birbhum district. Sheikh had been hiding in a brick kiln in Charkol village, located in Nanoor, when a district police team tracked him down based on intelligence inputs.
According to police insiders, Sheikh opened fire on the approaching officers, prompting return fire in self-defence. Sheikh was injured in the exchange and later pronounced dead after being rushed to a local hospital.
The incident stems from a November 13 operation in the Like Bazar area under the Bolpur Shantiniketan police station, where officers attempted to arrest Sheikh.
During that raid, Sheikh managed to escape after firing at the team, critically injuring police constable Biswajit Das. Constable Das is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Kolkata, where Adhikari visited him earlier to review his condition.
Police records indicate that Sheikh, a resident of Santa village in Nanoor, was a notorious figure in the region with 35 criminal cases pending against him, ranging from illegal possession of firearms to drug trafficking.
He had been arrested previously but secured bail, leading to the latest attempt by law enforcement to apprehend him.
The encounter marks the fifth such fatality in West Bengal since July of this year, following the administration's pledge that criminals would face strict action.
Source: IANS
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