Kolkata/Alive News: A man accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl was shot dead in a police encounter near the West Bengal-Bihar border early Sunday. The accused, identified as Dilip Roy, was allegedly trying to escape to Bihar when police intercepted him in the Raiganj area of North Dinajpur district.
Girl’s Body Found in Forest
The girl went missing on Tuesday after Roy allegedly took her from home on the pretext of showing her the Kulik River. Her body was recovered from a forest near Abdalghata on Thursday. According to police, the accused was the girl’s paternal uncle and had been absconding since the incident.
Accused Allegedly Opened Fire at Police
Police sources said they received information that Roy was planning to flee to Tarapur in Bihar. Acting on the tip-off, a police team launched an operation around 2 am on Sunday near Padar Pukur.
When officers surrounded him, Roy allegedly opened fire at the police team and fired several rounds at their vehicle. Police retaliated in self-defence, during which he sustained gunshot injuries. He was taken to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Suvendu Adhikari Says No Leniency in Serious Crimes
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said police act according to the circumstances and use force in self-defence when attacked.
He said the government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards rape and murder, drug trafficking and illegal infiltration from Bangladesh. He also directed the police not to show any leniency in such cases.
The incident comes after three other accused persons were killed in police firing in West Bengal since July, raising fresh questions about the use of police encounters in the state.
