Siliguri/Raiganj: West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar on Thursday said if someone fires at the police, the retaliation will be four times. Kumar's remarks came on the heels of an attack on two police personnel in Islampur of Uttar Dinajpur.
The incident took place on Wednesday near Panjipara in Goalpokhar of Islampur when two undertrial prisoners overpowered the policemen escorting them and fired at them before fleeing. The injured, assistant sub-inspector Deben Baishya and constable Nilkanta Sarkar, are currently undergoing treatment at a private nursing home in Siliguri's Matigara area where Kumar paid a visit on Thursday, followed by a meeting, at the commissionerate, with Javed Shamim, ADG (law & order) and senior officials including North Bengal IG Rajesh Yadav, Commissioner C Sudhakar, DCP Biswachand Thakur, Rakesh Sing and others.
"Police ensure people's safety and maintain law and order. But if a miscreant fires on us, we will retaliate quadruple. We are trained at it and know how to deal with the situation," Kumar told reporters after the meeting.
Elaborating on Thursday's fiasco, Yadav said the inmates were supplied with arms by another accused who is out on bail.
Then senior officials reached the nursing home straight from the Bagdogra Airport. Updating on the conditions of the police officials, Yadav said, "Both are stable and one is undergoing laparoscopic treatment. The bullets didn't cause any fatal wounds and were not used by police. We are looking into whether the arms supplier, Abdul Hussain, has fled to Bihar."
A manhunt has been launched for Sajjak and Alam, the undertrials who fled after overpowering the police personnel. Their pictures have been circulated and with rewards of Rs two lakh on each. If spotted, the informant can reach out in the following numbers — 9147889104 and 9147889105. The identity of the informant would be protected.
On the same day, another attack on police personnel took place in Domkal of Murshidabad, injuring a police official.
A few years back, Sajjak was accused of murdering Subesh Das of Khikritola under the Karandighi Police jurisdiction. After Thursday's hearing at Islampur Subdivisional Court, he was being taken to Raiganj Correctional Home when he wanted to go to the loo. Following his request, the prison van was stopped at the Panjipara Kalibari area under the Goalpokhar Police jurisdiction. After alighting from the van, Sajjak collected arms hidden in a quilt nearby and started firing at the police personnel, injuring both. The locals immediately rushed them to the Islampur Subdvisional Hospital from where they were subsequently referred to Siliguri.
The DGP's remarks have drawn mixed reactions. While some view it as a morale booster for police personnel, opposition leaders criticised the statement. "Let police act instead of making bold statements," BJP leader Jagannath Chattopadhyay said.
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