Accused, who fired at police in Bengal’s Goalpokhar, killed in encounter

An accused, who shot at a police van while being taken back to jail from the court in the Goalpokhar area in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district recently, was killed in an encounter with police on Saturday, 18 January.

Sources in the police department said that accused Sajjak Alam was apprehended at Chopra in North Dinajpur district on Saturday morning while he was making preparations to escape to neighbouring Bangladesh.

As the investigating cops apprehended him, Alam made a desperate attempt to escape following which the cops had to fire at him.

Alam, who sustained three bullet wounds, fell to the ground. The cops immediately shifted him to a local hospital.

The treatment also started but he succumbed to the bullet wounds around 8 a.m. It is learnt that Alam was already an accused in a murder case.

On 15 January, while he was being brought back from a district court at Islampur in North Dinajpur district to a correctional home at Raiganj in the same district, Alam suddenly opened fire at the escorting cops.

Taking advantage of the severe injuries received by two escorting cops namely Nilkanata Sarkar and Deben Baishya, Alam escaped from the scene and remained absconding since then.

However, at that time, questions were being raised as to how Alam, as an under-trial criminal, got access to the firearm. State police insiders said that one associate of Alam, Abdul Sheikh is still absconding and the cops have started a massive manhunt to track him.

"The prime accused in the 15 January incident was trying to flee to Bangladesh. We are trying to find out those who were helping him," an officer said.

Incidentally, on Friday evening, director general of West Bengal Police Rajeev Kumar said: "We will give a fitting reply. We in the police forces provide safety to common people. But if anyone shoots at the forces, we will shoot back four times."