Police Sometimes Have to Take Unpopular Steps for Public Interest: Dilip Ghosh on Gaighata Encounter

Das was killed in the early hours of Tuesday, days after the crime was reported last week. Reacting to the incident, Ghosh said the police sometimes had to take unpopular steps in the interest of the wider public.

“This has happened before in South 24 Parganas district. The killer was on the run. There was an encounter. Now it happened here too. Everyone should be brought to justice. No one is above the law. If someone disobeys the law, this is what will happen to them,” Ghosh said.

The minister argued that restoring public confidence in the police was essential and suggested that the force might have to take unpopular measures to rebuild that trust.

“The police have to give justice to the people. People have forgotten to trust them. To restore trust, the police will have to do some unpopular things,” he said.

Minister Calls for Stronger Rule of Law

Ghosh also said that establishing the rule of law was necessary to deter crimes and ensure justice for victims.

He observed that people had not been sufficiently deterred from committing crimes because, in his view, the rule of law had not been firmly established in West Bengal for several years.

According to the minister, the authorities needed to ensure justice for victims while creating an environment in which such crimes were less likely to occur. He added that punishments should serve as a deterrent to others.

His remarks came amid attention surrounding the circumstances of Das's death and the police account of the incident.

What Led to the Encounter?

Although the West Bengal Police had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting, sources familiar with the developments said Das was taken to the crime scene in the early hours of Tuesday to reconstruct events after his arrest.

According to these sources, Das allegedly seized the firearm of a police officer escorting him and opened fire at the personnel.

The policemen reportedly retaliated, seriously injuring the accused. He was subsequently taken to a nearby government hospital, where he was declared dead.

The account of the encounter was based on information from sources, and police awaited an official response.

Das had been accused in the rape and murder of a minor girl in Gaighata last week. The circumstances surrounding his death have brought renewed attention to the case and the police operation that preceded the encounter.