World · India Bureau
Suspect in rape-murder case shot dead in West Bengal police encounter
Police in West Bengal shot and killed a man accused of raping and murdering a young girl, marking the fourth such fatal encounter in the state since 2021. The accused was arrested following a four-day manhunt after the victim's body was discovered in a forest area.
LSN India ·
A man accused of rape and murder was killed in a police encounter in West Bengal on Wednesday, authorities said. The incident marked the fourth fatal police shooting in the state since the Bharatiya Janata Party assumed office in New Delhi.
The suspect had been evading capture for four days after the body of the victim was recovered from a forest near the Kulik River. The girl's partially decomposed remains were discovered in a state of undress, prompting an intensive manhunt by local law enforcement.
Police said they opened fire after the accused allegedly attempted to flee and posed a threat to officers during an arrest operation. The encounter has renewed scrutiny over police conduct in West Bengal, with civil liberties organizations calling for transparent investigations into such incidents.
The state has witnessed a series of high-profile criminal cases in recent years, with law enforcement increasingly resorting to encounters as a means of addressing serious crimes. Officials maintain that such operations follow established protocols and are conducted only when suspects pose imminent danger.