The mother of Dilip Roy, the prime accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district, declared on Monday, 9 November 2026, that she would not attend her son's final rites after he was shot dead in a police encounter in Raiganj. Her public disavowal came hours after Roy was killed in an early-morning police operation near Gauri Gram Panchayat.

Mother's Anguish and Public Rejection

Chania Roy, speaking to reporters, expressed deep shame over her son's alleged actions. 'It is better not to have such a sinful son; I will not even go to the crematorium,' she said. She added: 'He has done such a thing; he is no longer in a position to show his face in the village. He is gone. It is good. That's what I want.'

Describing Dilip Roy as her only son, Chania Roy said he had left home at a very young age and maintained little contact with the family, providing no support to his ageing father. She said the grief of losing a child was entirely overshadowed by the heinous nature of the alleged crime.

A History of Alleged Abuse

Village residents revealed that allegations against Dilip Roy were not unprecedented. Sixteen years ago, he was accused of physically abusing the six-year-old daughter of a relative — an incident that reportedly triggered widespread outrage in the community. Neighbours allegedly attacked his home and assaulted him. Roy subsequently sold one katha of his mother's land to pay compensation to the victim's family, according to local accounts. Residents said such repeated crimes could not be forgiven and expressed that justice had now been served.

How the Encounter Unfolded

Roy was killed during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday after law enforcement launched a raid near Gauri Gram Panchayat at approximately 3 am, acting on a tip-off that he was attempting to flee across the nearby Bihar border. According to law enforcement officials, officers moved in to arrest Roy after tracking his whereabouts, but he allegedly opened fire on the raiding team. Police retaliated in self-defence, inflicting fatal injuries.

Roy was transported to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was scheduled for later the same day.

Background: The Victim and the Case

The encounter follows the recovery of the victim's semi-decomposed body on 6 November from the nearby Kulik forest, two days after the 12-year-old girl went missing on 3 November after leaving her home on a bicycle. The case drew intense public attention across the state and prompted demands for swift action.

Pattern of Fatal Encounters in Bengal

This incident marks the fourth fatal police encounter in West Bengal since July this year. Notably, three of those four encounters involve cases related to the rape and murder of minors — a pattern that has drawn both public support and scrutiny over the state's approach to accused persons in high-profile cases. Critics argue that due process must be upheld regardless of the gravity of the alleged crime, while others contend that swift action signals deterrence.