BENGAL CM SUVENDU ADHIKARI BACKS TOUGH POLICE ACTION AGAINST CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AFTER TWO ACCUSED DIE IN ENCOUNTERS
October 29, 2026
Kolkata | October 29, 2026
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has defended stringent police action against crimes against women following the deaths of two accused men in separate police encounters in the state within 24 hours. One was accused of the rape and murder of a teenage girl in North 24 Parganas, while the other was accused of murdering BJP worker Sujit Mondal in Murshidabad.
Adhikari said he had given the police a free hand in dealing with crimes against women and drug-related offences. He maintained that those who take the law into their own hands would face action through due legal process. Regarding the encounters, police claimed that both men had snatched service firearms during crime-scene reconstruction and opened fire, prompting retaliatory shooting.
The first incident involved Prahlad Das, 23, who was accused of raping and murdering a schoolgirl in Gaighata. The second involved Samaul Sheikh, accused in the murder of BJP worker Sujit Mondal in Murshidabad. Both men died after being shot by police, according to official accounts.
The incidents have sparked debate over policing, public safety and the use of lethal force. While some political leaders have supported stringent action against serious crimes, opposition voices have called for explanations and inquiries into the circumstances of the shootings.
The cases have placed renewed attention on the balance between protecting women, maintaining public confidence in law enforcement and ensuring that police action remains subject to legal scrutiny. The police accounts of the encounters and the circumstances surrounding the deaths remain matters for investigation.
