West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday defended police firing that killed a man accused of raping and murdering his 12-year-old niece in Uttar Dinajpur district, saying officers had the right to protect themselves when attacked. The chief minister’s remarks came after police said the suspect opened fire during an operation near Raiganj
Speaking to reporters in Digha, CM Suvendu Adhikari asked, “If someone tries to kill the police, will the police throw rasgullas?” He maintained that officers had responded to an attack and acted within the law.
The chief minister said police had been authorised to act without waiting for approval from senior officers in cases involving rape, murder, drug trafficking and illegal infiltration from Bangladesh. He said his government would not tolerate such offences.
What happened in the Raiganj police encounter?
The man killed in the operation was identified as Dilip Roy, who was wanted in connection with the death of a 12-year-old girl. Police said they had received information that Roy was hiding in the Gouri gram panchayat area and sent a team to locate him near the Bengal-Bihar border.
Police said that they traced Roy in the Parapukur area in the early hours of Monday after searching for him for four days. He allegedly fired at the officers while trying to escape towards Bihar. Police returned fire, leaving him critically injured. He was taken to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Police also said a bullet fired by Roy struck the tyre of a police vehicle.
Girl went missing on November 3
The case is related to the death of a girl who went missing after leaving home on her bicycle on November 3. Her body was found two days later in a forest near the Kulik River. Her family alleged that she had been sexually assaulted and murdered.
Fourth encounter death since BJP took office
Roy’s death was the fourth reported police encounter killing in West Bengal since the BJP formed the state government in May 2026.
In July, Prabhas Mondal, accused in the rape and murder of a minor in Baruipur in South 24 Parganas, was killed in police firing. Police said he had tried to seize a firearm during a crime-scene reconstruction.
Two more accused died in separate police operations on October 27. Prahlad Das, arrested in connection with the death of a student in Gaighata, North 24 Parganas, was shot dead, while Samaul Haque, accused of murdering a BJP worker, was killed in Samserganj in Murshidabad.
Reacting to the latest incident, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee criticised the use of encounters, saying those accused of crimes should be punished through the legal process. State minister Dilip Ghosh, meanwhile, said police might have to use force in certain situations when confronted by people violating the law.
