Kolkata, November 4: West Bengal Police have formed a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the encounter killing of murder accused Samiul Sheikh at Samserganj in Murshidabad district on October 27, IANS reported on Wednesday. The SIT was constituted on the state government's direction, Deputy Inspector General (Murshidabad Range) Ajeet Singh Yadav confirmed to the media; an official notification on the team's formation was issued first, after which the five-member team was constituted.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

The SIT will be headed by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Samserganj, Debyendu Tamang. Its other four members are Swarup Biswas, who holds inspector rank, and sub-inspectors Abhijit Sarkar, Nilesh Chandra Sarkar and Mithun Halder.

Source: Daily Kiran

This is the latest development in a case Awaaz Punjab reported on October 27, when Sheikh was killed during a police exercise to recreate the crime scene. As per the police version, Sheikh — one of three accused in the murder of local BJP leader Sujit Mondal — was taken to the scene of the crime for recreation of the crime scene when he tried to escape after snatching the firearm of an escorting police officer. Police claimed that he fired a few rounds towards the escorting officers and that an inspector present at the spot resorted to counter-firing, in which Sheikh was killed. That police account is now the subject of the SIT's probe.

Mondal, a resident of the Old Dakbanglo area of Samserganj, had mysteriously disappeared on August 28, and his dismembered body was later recovered. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had then said Mondal was killed with a meat-cutting knife. Police later arrested three accused — Samiul Sheikh, Tajkira Bibi and Johnny Sheikh — of whom Sheikh was killed in the October 27 encounter.

The murder case had also sparked allegations of police negligence: Mondal's wife, Sumana Mondal, alleged that despite repeatedly approaching the local police station after her husband's disappearance, she received no assistance. The incident led to disciplinary action against several police officials, including suspensions, transfers and departmental inquiries, and the Chief Minister had termed it a 'major blunder'.