West Bengal Police Shoot and Kill Man Accused of Attacking Constable

West Bengal police killed a man accused of shooting at a constable two days earlier, during a gunfight at a brick kiln in Birbhum district's Nanoor area on Sunday, November 15, 2026. The dead man, Ratan Sheikh, was a history-sheeter who was hiding from the law. Police say he opened fire at a team trying to arrest him at the brick kiln. This incident follows an earlier event on Friday, November 13, 2026, at Laik Bazar in the Santiniketan police station area. During that earlier attempt to catch him, Sheikh allegedly shot and injured constable Biswajit Das in the leg.

Reactions

This event marks the fifth time an accused person has been killed in police firing in West Bengal within six months of the BJP coming to power in the State. A civil society group has criticized the killing, calling it an extrajudicial execution. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari defended the police action when speaking to reporters. He asked whether the police should offer sweets to someone who shoots at them. He also stated firmly that criminals have no place in the State.

Context

Police encounters during arrest attempts often spark serious public debates about law enforcement methods and human rights in India. Such events frequently bring sharp political divisions between ruling and opposition parties over public safety and police powers.