Birbhum: A notorious history-sheeter accused of opening fire at a police constable was shot dead in an encounter in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Sunday afternoon. The deceased, identified as Ratan Sheikh, was facing 36 criminal cases, including six charges of murder. The incident marks the fifth police encounter in the state over the past six months.
According to a report by ABP News, the confrontation occurred when a police team took an arrested Sheikh to a brick kiln in Nanoor’s Charkol village to recover the firearm used in the previous attack. A senior police officer stated that while searching for the hidden weapon, Sheikh managed to grab the pistol and fired at the police vehicle. In a swift act of self-defence, the officers retaliated, leaving the accused severely wounded. He was immediately rushed to the Bolpur sub-divisional hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
The shootout comes just two days after Sheikh allegedly fired at Constable Biswajit Das during a raid at the Layekbazar bus stand under the Santiniketan police station area on Friday. Das, who was part of the team attempting to arrest Sheikh, sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg. He was initially admitted to the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital and was subsequently shifted to a hospital in Kolkata for advanced treatment.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari strongly defended the police action, warning criminals of severe consequences. “If someone fires at the police, should the police offer them ‘batasha’ (sugar candy)? The police have been given complete freedom to respond. If someone attacks or assaults a policeman, they must react,” Adhikari stated. Reaffirming his administration’s zero-tolerance policy, the Chief Minister added, “There is no place for rapists, goons, and murderers in West Bengal.”
Echoing the Chief Minister’s sentiments, State Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee commended the police force. Emphasising that the response was necessary to maintain peace, Mukherjee remarked, “The police did exactly the right thing. Do not mess with the Bengal police or expect them to sit idle.”
The incident highlights a firm shift in the state’s law enforcement approach, as authorities increasingly crack down on organised crime and repeat offenders across the region.