Man Accused of Minor's Murder Killed in Police Shootout in West Bengal

Police shot and killed a man suspected of attacking and killing a young girl in the Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal on Monday. The suspect, Dilip Roy, died during a police operation to take him into custody in the early hours of November 9, 2026.

The Encounter

Officers tracked the suspect to a village in Raiganj late Sunday night. When officers tried to catch him, Roy reportedly started shooting at the police team. Officers fired back in self-defense, hitting and injuring the man. He was rushed to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

The Investigation

Law enforcement teams had searched for Roy for four days. The search began after family members reported that their 12-year-old daughter went missing on November 3 after riding away from her home on a bicycle in the afternoon. Two days later, searchers found her body in a forest near the Kulik river in a decomposed state and without clothes. Her relatives stated that she suffered sexual assault and was killed. This incident represents the fourth fatal police encounter in the state since the Bharatiya Janata Party government took office in May 2026.

Context

Police encounters in criminal investigations often spark intense public debate regarding the use of force by law enforcement agencies. Such operations typically occur during high-pressure manhunts when suspects allegedly resist arrest or attack police officers.