Bihar police officer killed in Bengal

Three arrested

A Bihar police officer was allegedly beaten to death by a mob in West Bengal’s north Dinajpur district in the early hours of Saturday.

Ashwini Kumar, the station house officer of the Kishanganj town police station in Bihar, had gone for a raid at Pantapada village in north Dinajpur district of West Bengal in connection with a motorcycle theft case. Kishanganj shares its border with north Dinajpur district of West Bengal.

The police officer allegedly got no support from the local West Bengal police. He was beaten with sticks and the mob threw stones at him. He was taken to a local hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

After the incident, the Bihar Director General of Police spoke to his counterpart in West Bengal to get details. The West Bengal police have arrested three persons identified as Firoze Alam, Abuzar Alam and Sahinoor Khatoon.

Mr. Kumar’s body was taken to the police lines of Kishanganj where officials paid their respects. “Ashwini Kumar had approached the local police in West Bengal for help during the raid, but he did not get any despite assurances,” said a Bihar Police Association release.

Kishanganj District Magistrate Aditya Prakash and Inspector General of Purnia range Suresh Kumar Chowdhury assured family members of an SIT probe. Earlier, the family members of the deceased police official had alleged a “conspiracy” behind his killing.