West Bengal reported two fatal police encounters within approximately 12 hours on October 27, 2026, involving two men accused in separate criminal cases, according to a report by The Hindu.

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The second incident took place in Murshidabad district at around 3 p.m., when 40-year-old Samaul Sheikh was shot dead in a gunfight with police. Sheikh was a key accused in the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Sujit Mondal, who was killed on August 28.

Earlier the same day, at approximately 3:30 a.m., Prahlad Das was shot dead in a police encounter in Gaighata, located in North 24 Parganas district. Das was accused of raping and murdering a minor girl.

The close timing of the two incidents has drawn attention to the separate police operations in the state. Both cases involve serious criminal allegations, although the supplied report does not establish that either accused had been convicted.

Police reportedly stated that an accused had allegedly snatched an officer’s service weapon and attempted to flee. However, the supplied report does not clearly establish whether this specific account applied to both incidents.

The circumstances surrounding the shootings and any further investigative findings were not detailed in the provided report.

The incidents occurred in two different districts of West Bengal: Murshidabad, where the BJP worker’s murder case was being investigated, and North 24 Parganas, where the minor girl’s rape and murder case was reported.

The developments have placed both districts in the news, with further details about the police operations and investigations awaited.