Kolkata, Oct. 27 -- Within hours of the alleged police encounter in Gaighata, North 24-Parganas, in which the prime accused in the rape and murder of a minor girl was shot dead, another youth accused of murdering a BJP leader in Samserganj, Murshidabad, was killed in a police encounter on Tuesday morning.
The encounter marks a dramatic turn in a case that has gripped the region for nearly two months. Sujit Mondal, a 36-year-old BJP leader from Dhulian, went missing on August 28. On September 2, dismembered remains of his body were recovered from the Farakka Feeder Canal.
The murder triggered widespread political outrage and public protests, with local BJP leaders alleging administrative negligence and demanding accountability. Following the uproar, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered the CID to take over the investigation. An internal inquiry subsequently led to the suspension of two police officers, a Sub-Inspector and an Assistant Sub-Inspector, over initial lapses in investigating the missing-person complaint. Police arrested three people, including Samaun Sheikh, during the investigation.
On Tuesday, a joint team of the CID and local police took Sheikh to Dhulian Bazar to reconstruct the events leading to Mondal's death. During the exercise, Sheikh allegedly overpowered an officer, snatched his service pistol and opened fire while attempting to escape.
The police retaliated in self-defence, firing multiple rounds. Sheikh sustained critical gunshot wounds to his chest and leg and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.