Another ‘encounter’ in West Bengal: Rape accused killed in Raiganj

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The main accused in the rape and murder of a minor in Raiganj, West Bengal was shot dead by the police as he tried to flee to Bihar. This is the fourth such meeting in the state in the last four months since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government came to power.

According to police officials, the accused Dilip Roy was on the run since the mutilated body of the 13-year-old minor was found on Thursday (November 5, 2026). At around 3.30 am on Monday (November 9, 2026), in the early hours of the morning, the police went out to arrest him in the Gauri village area from where he was trying to cross into Bihar.

Soon the police arrived at the scene, he opened fire on the policemen. Dilip was killed in retaliatory firing during the incident, police said.

He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Later, the body was sent for autopsy.

Police said the juvenile victim went missing on Tuesday (November 3, 2026). Later, her mutilated body was found at Kulik Wildlife Sanctuary on Thursday (November 5, 2026). After a preliminary investigation, a case of rape and murder was filed by her parents at the Raiganj police station, following which the police began searching for the accused involved in the case, including Dilip Roy.

Reacting to the panchayat development, minister Dilip Ghosh said the police will have to take such action if anyone violates the law.

“Such crimes will not be spared. If everyone follows law and order, nothing will happen. But the police have a duty to act if the accused try to evade the law or escape,” he said.

Monday’s development comes just 13 days after two more meetings took place just twelve hours apart on October 28.

Samaul Sheikh, who was the key accused in the August 28 murder of BJP worker Sujit Mondal, was shot dead in a shootout with the police in Murshidabad on Tuesday around 3 pm (October 27, 2026). About 12 hours ago, Prahlad Das, accused of raping and murdering a minor girl in North 24 Parganas’ Gaighata, was shot dead in an encounter around 3.30 am.

Earlier on July 8, a similar encounter took place in South 24 Parganas Baruipur area where the police took Prabhas Mondal, the main accused in the rape and murder of a minor girl, to reconstruct the crime scene.

The area has been tense since July 5, when the body of a 12-year-old girl was pulled from a pond after she was allegedly raped and murdered.

On November 3, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari warned criminals that they will not be spared if anyone causes any harm to women in the state.

“You all see what happens when someone lays hands on our mothers and sisters,” CM Adhikari said on November 3.

Published – 9 Nov 2026 09:21 IST