Kolkata, Nov 4 — West Bengal Police have formed a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the encounter killing of Samiul Sheikh, a murder accused, at Samserganj in Murshidabad on the afternoon of October 27.
As per the police version, Sheikh, one of the three accused in the murder of a local BJP leader, Sujit Mondal, was taken to the scene of the crime for recreation of the crime scene, when he tried to escape after snatching the firearm of an escorting police officer.
The police claimed that as he fired a few rounds of bullets towards the escorting cops, an inspector present at the spot resorted to counter-firing, in which Sheikh was killed.
Now, a five-member SIT has been constituted to probe the encounter matter on the state government's direction, as confirmed by the Deputy Inspector General (Murshidabad Range), Ajeet Singh Yadav, to the media persons.
First, an official notification on the formation of the SIT was announced, and subsequently, the five-member SIT was constituted.
The SIT will be headed by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Deibyendu Tamang. The other four members of the SIT are Swarup Biswas, Abhijit Sarkar, Nilesh Chandra Sarkar and Mithun Halder.
While Biswas is an inspector-rank officer, the other three are in the ranks of sub-inspectors.
To recall, Sujit Mondal, a local BJP leader and a resident of the Old Dakbanglo area of Samserganj, mysteriously disappeared on August 28. His dismembered body was later recovered. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had then said that Mondal was killed with a meat-cutting knife.
The police later arrested the three accused, namely Samiul Sheikh, Tajkira Bibi and Johnny Sheikh. Of the three, Sheikh was killed in the police encounter on October 27.
The murder case also sparked allegations of police negligence. Mondal's wife, Sumana Mondal, alleged that despite repeatedly approaching the local police station after her husband's disappearance, she received no assistance.
The incident led to disciplinary action against several police officials, including suspensions, transfers and departmental inquiries. The Chief Minister then termed it a 'major blunder'.