From Baruipur to Birbhum: Bengal's fifth police encounter in six months

• Ratan Sheikh is killed in a police encounter in Birbhum, hours after reports of his arrest.

• The incident marks West Bengal's fifth police encounter in six months, following cases in Baruipur, Gaighata, Samsherganj and Raiganj.

• Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari backs the police's use of force and says officers have been given a free hand to deal with criminals.

West Bengal has witnessed its fifth police encounter in six months, with Ratan Sheikh, the man accused of shooting a police constable in Birbhum's Santiniketan area, being shot dead near Nanur on Sunday, 15 November. The encounter took place at a brick kiln in the Uchkaran area near Charkol village, just hours after reports emerged of his arrest, raising fresh questions over police action and law and order in the state.

According to police sources, Ratan had been arrested in the Nanur area of Birbhum district on Sunday. Though the police had not issued an official statement confirming his arrest, sources claimed that he confessed during interrogation to shooting constable Biswajit Das and disclosed where he had hidden the firearm used in the attack.

The police reportedly took Ratan to the brick kiln to recover the weapon. However, sources alleged that he suddenly produced a firearm and opened fire, hitting a police vehicle. The police retaliated, claiming they had acted in self-defence. Ratan sustained bullet injuries and was rushed to Nanur Health Centre, where doctors declared him dead at around 5.45 pm. His body was later taken to Bolpur Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Ratan's death marks the fifth police encounter in West Bengal in the past six months. Earlier incidents were reported in Baruipur, Gaighata, Samsherganj and Raiganj. The latest encounter comes amid a series of strong warnings by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari against criminals and his public endorsement of the police's use of force.

In all five cases, the account of events has come from the police, who have maintained that the accused opened fire on their personnel and that the retaliatory firing was in self-defence. These claims, however, have not been independently established, making the circumstances surrounding the encounters an important subject of scrutiny.

The latest episode stems from a shooting in Laikbazar, under Santiniketan police station, on Friday. Police had gone to arrest Ratan near a closed private nursing home along the Bolpur-Nanur main road when, according to police sources, he opened fire as officers attempted to take him into custody. One bullet struck Das in his left leg, while Ratan managed to escape.

Adhikari visited the injured constable at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital on Saturday. Praising his courage, the chief minister announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh towards his treatment and said his promotion would also be considered.

"There is no place for rapists or murderers in Bengal. If someone fires at the police, the police will do what is necessary. Should the police offer them sweets when they come to shoot?" he said

He also asserted that police personnel had the right to defend themselves. "They have not been given firearms and ammunition to keep in their pockets. These are meant to be used when the situation demands," he said.

The chief minister further said the police had been given a "free hand" to deal with criminals, while insisting that action would be taken under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and in accordance with the law. "If you shoot at the police, don't expect a shower of flowers," he warned.

Ratan, a resident of Saota village in Nanur, reportedly faced more than two dozen criminal cases involving theft, robbery, illegal firearms and drug trafficking. Adhikari, however, claimed that there were 36 cases against him and questioned how he had managed to secure bail in so many cases.

He said the circumstances surrounding Ratan's release during the court's Puja vacation were being examined. "The role of the government prosecutor in these cases also needs to be looked into," he said.