Raiganj encounter: Rape-murder accused Dilip Roy killed in Bengal
Synopsis
West Bengal has recorded its fourth police encounter killing since July — and the third involving an accused in a minor's rape and murder case. The speed and pattern of these encounters, all involving suspects allegedly opening fire first, is drawing scrutiny that official statements alone are unlikely to quiet.
Key Takeaways
Dilip Roy , prime accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in North Dinajpur , was killed in a police encounter in Raiganj on 9 November .
The victim went missing on 3 November and her body was recovered from Kulik forest on 6 November .
Police say Roy opened fire when officers attempted to arrest him at Gauri Gram Panchayat at 3 am ; personnel retaliated in self-defence.
Roy was allegedly attempting to flee through the Bihar border before the encounter.
This is the fourth encounter killing in West Bengal since July 2026 , three of which involve accused in minor rape-murder cases.
An autopsy was scheduled at Raiganj Medical College and Hospital ; a magisterial inquiry is expected to follow.
Dilip Roy, the prime accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district, was killed in a police encounter in Raiganj during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, 9 November 2026, according to officials. The encounter marks the fourth such incident in West Bengal since July this year.
How the Encounter Unfolded
Acting on a tip-off from a confidential source about Roy's hideout, a police team launched a raid at Gauri Gram Panchayat at around 3 am on Monday. According to police, when officers moved to arrest Roy, he opened fire at the team. Personnel retaliated in self-defence, during which the accused sustained fatal injuries. His body has since been shifted to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, where an autopsy was scheduled for later in the day.
The Victim and the Crime
The victim, a 12-year-old girl, went missing on 3 November after leaving home on a bicycle. Her semi-decomposed body was subsequently recovered from the nearby Kulik forest on 6 November — more than two days after she was reported missing. Her family lodged a complaint alleging rape and murder following the discovery. Roy had been absconding since the body was found, and police said he was allegedly attempting to flee to another state through the Bihar border, which lies close to North Dinajpur district.
A Pattern of Encounter Killings in Bengal
This is the fourth encounter killing in West Bengal since July, and notably the third involving an accused in a minor's rape and murder case. In July, Prabhas Mondal, accused of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, was shot dead by police. Authorities claimed he snatched a police weapon during a crime-scene reconstruction and opened fire, prompting retaliatory firing.
In October, Prahlad Das, accused in the rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Gaighata, South 24 Parganas, was killed in a similarly described encounter while reportedly attempting to escape during a crime reenactment. On the same day, Samiul Sheikh, who had been arrested in connection with the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker in Samserganj, Murshidabad district, was also killed in an encounter.
Questions Around Accountability
The clustering of four encounter killings within roughly four months — three of them in cases involving crimes against minors — has drawn attention to how West Bengal Police handles high-profile suspects. Critics argue that the recurring pattern of accused individuals allegedly opening fire during arrests or crime reconstructions warrants independent scrutiny. This comes amid broader national debate over due process and custodial accountability in encounter killings. The state government has not yet issued a formal statement on the Raiganj incident.
Judicial oversight and a magisterial inquiry, standard protocol following encounter deaths, are expected to follow in the coming days.
Point of View
Police accounts follow a near-identical template: the accused opens fire first, officers retaliate in self-defence, the accused dies. That consistency is precisely what should trigger mandatory independent review. West Bengal's political landscape makes accountability harder: the ruling party has an incentive to project decisive policing, while the opposition has an incentive to weaponise every encounter for electoral gain. Neither posture serves the cause of due process. The question is not whether these men deserved punishment — the alleged crimes are horrific — but whether summary deaths by encounter are a lawful substitute for trial, conviction, and sentencing.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dilip Roy and what was he accused of?
Dilip Roy was the prime accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district. The victim went missing on 3 November and her body was recovered from Kulik forest on 6 November, after which her family filed a complaint alleging rape and murder.
What happened in the Raiganj police encounter?
Police raided Gauri Gram Panchayat at around 3 am on Monday, 9 November, based on a tip-off about Roy's location. According to police, Roy opened fire at the team when officers attempted to arrest him, and personnel retaliated in self-defence, fatally injuring the accused.
How many encounter killings have taken place in West Bengal since July 2026?
This was the fourth encounter killing in West Bengal since July 2026, and the third involving a person accused in a minor's rape and murder case. The earlier cases involved Prabhas Mondal in July and Prahlad Das in October.
What is the standard procedure after a police encounter killing in India?
Following an encounter death, a magisterial inquiry and an autopsy are standard protocol under Indian law and Supreme Court guidelines. In the Raiganj case, the autopsy was scheduled at Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, and a magisterial inquiry is expected to be ordered.
Was Dilip Roy attempting to flee before the encounter?
According to police, Roy had been absconding since 6 November and was allegedly trying to escape to another state through the Bihar border, which is close to North Dinajpur district, before he was traced to Gauri Gram Panchayat.
