Boy beaten to death in presence of cops

The victim has been identified as Sheikh Shamim and the policemen belong to a police station that had been labelled as model by none other than Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee a few years back.

The policemen also allowed the accused to flee the spot. Following this, irate villagers, mainly women, attacked the police, damaged their jeep and gheraoed them for hours.

According to the police, accused Sheikh Rakibul and the boy’s father Sheikh Ashabul were neighbours and distant relatives. They were also involved in a long-standing land dispute. To settle the matter, Rakibul called in the police on Sunday.

Around 7.30 a.m., Rakibul along with four policemen including one sub-inspector and three constables visited Ashabul’s house. On hearing about the visit, Ashabul fled and took shelter in a nearby house.

The Class I student of Choha Bilpara primary school pleaded for mercy, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. In the meantime, Ashabul heard the screams and rushed to rescue his son. With his folded hands, he reportedly asked the cops to rescue his son. But the men in uniform did not move.

Shamim died on the spot. His head was split open and his face marred beyond recognition.

“I kept on pleading the policemen to intervene, but they remained silent. I even told them to shoot Rakibul on the leg to stop him. I tried to intervene but it was too late. They also let Rakibul escape. It was the villagers who caught him,” said Ashabul.

Following the incident, Rakibul was caught by an angry mob and assaulted severely till he became unconscious. The policemen, who came along with him, tried to rescue him and they too faced the public wrath.

The four policemen have been issued show-cause notices and a departmental inquiry ordered against them. Shamim’s body was sent for post-mortem.