5 July 2024: The mysterious death of Muntaj Sheikh, a 49-year-old resident of Durgapur village, under Islampur police station, has ignited widespread outrage and raised serious questions about police conduct in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
On the night of June 5, police conducted a raid in Durgapur, targeting heroin trafficking operations. Several individuals, including Muntaj Sheikh, were arrested and taken to the Bekibagan police camp. After being presented in court on June 6, Sheikh was remanded to Lalbagh sub-jail.
Police reports state that Sheikh fell ill on June 8 and was subsequently taken to Lalbagh sub-divisional hospital, where he died. However, the official account is being vehemently contested by Sheikh’s family, who allege that he was subjected to severe police brutality leading to his death.
When Muntaj’s body was returned to his family after an autopsy on June 9, they noted suspicious injuries, prompting accusations of police misconduct.
Jaherun Bewa, Sheikh’s mother, recounted the harrowing events, saying, “After catching my son, the police brought sticks from their car and beat him severely in front of our eyes. Then, they took him to the camp and beat him again. My son died after being tortured by the police. They killed my son.”
Lalbagh Sub-Jail Superintendent Samaresh Dey suggested that Muntaj’s death might have been due to drug addiction, potentially causing his sudden illness. However, the family’s assertions paint a grim picture of alleged police brutality. “The police beat him inhumanely. Muntaj died due to unnatural torture,” they claimed.
Mahera Bibi, a relative of the deceased, echoed these sentiments, stating, “The police picked up my brother-in-law on Wednesday night. We were not told why he was being arrested. That day, he was severely beaten at Bekibagan camp in Islampur. From there, he was taken to Islampur Police Station at night. He was killed by the police. We want justice.”
Despite these allegations, a district police official maintained that Sheikh was lawfully processed and that his death’s cause remains uncertain. “We can’t say what caused the death,” he said, emphasizing that the detainee was in the correctional facility after his court appearance.
Abdul Goni Mondal, the secretary of the Domkal branch of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), voiced strong concerns about the incident. “The police are the protectors of the law, but they violate the law repeatedly. The police are constantly torturing common people. We, human rights activists, are protesting. We will talk to the family of the deceased and provide them with full legal assistance,” he said.
Mondal further called for accountability, demanding punishment for the responsible police personnel and a judicial inquiry into the incident. “APDR will give a deputation to the District Superintendent of Police if necessary,” he added.
