Man accused of opening fire at cop in Bengal’s Santiniketan killed in police encounter

Ratan Sheikh was killed after he opened fire at a police team while trying to evade arrest at a brick kiln in Nanoor in the same district. Representative image. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto A man accused of opening fire at a police constable at Santiniketan in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Friday (November 13, 2026) was killed in a gunfight with the law enforcers on Sunday (November 15, 2026), a senior officer said.Ratan Sheikh was killed after he opened fire at a police team while trying to evade arrest at a brick kiln in Nanoor in the same district.This was the fifth police encounter in West Bengal in six months since the BJP came to power in the State.Sheikh, a history-sheeter who was absconding, allegedly shot at constable Biswajit Das, injuring him in the leg, during an arrest attempt at Laik Bazar in Santiniketan police station area on November 13.Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, while reacting to the development, asks reporters, "If someone opens fire at the police, should the police offer them sweets"He asserted that criminals have no place in the State. Published - November 15, 2026 07:27 pm IST