Bengal student leader's death: 3 cops suspended for negligence of duty

According to sources in the state police, three cops, including ASI Nirmal Das, constable Jitendra Hembram and home guard Kashinath Bera, were on night patrol duty in the area where Anish Khan's home is located.

Officials said they did not respond to the incident timely and allegedly misbehaved with the dead student leader's family while recording the initial statement.

"They have been suspended pending inquiry," a senior police official said.

The development came a day after a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had been formed by the state government to probe the matter and submit a report within 15 days, initiated its investigation into the incident.

Earlier on Friday (Feb 18) midnight, Anish Khan, a student of Kolkata's Aliah University who was one of the faces of anti-CAA and anti-NRC protests in the city two years ago, died after being pushed off the roof of his own house allegedly by four people who introduced themselves as policemen.

Family members of the 28-year-old student leader claimed three of the four policemen were wearing the uniform of civic volunteers, and one was wearing the state police's uniform and he was carrying a firearm like a police officer.

"They said they were from Amta Police Station and wanted to talk to Anish in connection with an old case registered with Bagnan Police Station," Anish Khan's elder brother said.

"The man wearing the state police's uniform was with us and threatened us showing his firearm not to interfere in their investigation, while the  three others in civic volunteer uniforms forcibly took Anish to the roof and then we heard a loud sound," he added.

After the four men left the house, Anish's family members found his body lying in a pool of blood beside their house.

Officials at Amta PS, however, claimed that no policeman from the police station had visited the student leader's house that night in connection with any investigation.

According to reports, Anish Khan, who was involved with Left-wing politics for a long time, recently joined the Indian Secular Front (ISF), though West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed Anish had helped her Trinamool Congress (TMC) a lot during the 2021 assembly polls in the state.

Aliah University students and activists of Left student wings held separate protest rallies in Kolkata demanding "justice for Anish".

Meanwhile, Howrah Rural SP Soumya Roy said there was a case against Anish registered at Bagnan PS under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.