Sajjak Alam, a murder case accused who escaped after shooting at two policemen while being transported to jail from a Raiganj court last Wednesday, was killed in an encounter near the Bangladesh border in North Dinajpur district in the early hours of Saturday.
Police said Sajjak was attempting to flee to Bangladesh by crossing the border in the Goalpokhar area.
Jawed Shamim, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), said, “Our men patrolling the area spotted Sajjak and warned him to surrender. Instead of heeding our warning, he opened fire at us. In self-defence, we returned fire, and Sajjak was killed in the exchange,” said a police officer in North Dinajpur district.
The district police stated that a manhunt is underway to trace Sajjak’s associate, who allegedly helped him obtain the firearm and planned his escape to Bangladesh.
Police have not yet confirmed whether the firearm recovered from Sajjak’s possession was the same one he used to shoot at the two policemen.
Elaborating on how Sajjak was tracked, Shamim said a special team, comprising informers, spotters, and local sources, was formed immediately after the incident.
“We learned of his plan to flee to Bangladesh. Accordingly, we maintained strict vigilance on roads leading to the border fencing. A team of eight policemen patrolling the Sahapur area spotted the accused near a culvert,” said Shamim.
Sajjak reportedly opened fire on the policemen when asked to stop.
“He slumped to the ground after retaliatory firing by the police. Three bullets struck him—one in the leg, another in the neck, and a third lodged in his back. He was taken to a local healthcare centre, where he succumbed to his injuries,” a police officer said.
What happened earlier?
In a reel-life-like sequence of events, Sajjak, wrapped in a blanket, pulled out a firearm, shot two policemen guarding him, and escaped while being transported to Islampur jail from the court.
Sajjak had requested the police to stop as he needed to relieve himself. The police allowed him to step out of the prison van.
“Sajjak opened fire on the policemen while being escorted to a public toilet near Panjipara, a small town,” said a police officer.
The two policemen were injured and were rushed at the nearest hospital for treatment.
Investigations revealed that Sajjak had obtained the gun from an associate who visited him at the court lock-up on the day of the incident.
“Sajjak, accused in a 2019 murder case, was brought to court for routine production. He spent over six hours in the court lock-up, where his associate met him, mingling with visitors of other accused. We suspect Sajjak concealed the gun under his blanket,” said a police officer.
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