Villagers attack police station after liquor smuggler killed in encounter in Katihar

PATNA: Irate villagers attacked Barsoi police station in Katihar on Wednesday after a liquor smuggler identified as Munna Nunia (22) was killed in a police encounter while he was trying to flee with smuggled liquor in the district on Wednesday. The encounter took place hardly seven kilometres away from West Bengal border soon after the smugglers had entered Katihar.
Three constables received grievous injury in head and limbs in the attack in which heavy stone pelting took place on the police station ransacking it completely.A carbine from a police personnel was also snatched by villagers which was later recovered.
Police sources said that six youths in three bikes were signalled to stop at a police barricading near Kachna outpost situated under Barsoi police station at around 4am on Wednesday.
“Two youths on first bike fled while another two youths behind them opened fired on police resulting an immediate retaliation from Kachna oupost incharge Dilip Kumar Ojha,” sources said.
They said that Munna, who was a pillion rider open fired two rounds on police. “Police party involved in checking were taken aback, but Ojha mustered courage and also open fired two rounds on the two criminals who were fleeing on a bike,” sources said.
They said that according to the initial post mortem report, one of the bullets fired by Ojha pierced the hip of Munna and exited through his thigh.
“Munna along with another youth was carrying three trolley bags filled with 87 litres of West Bengal manufactured Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). After firing, the duo fell down and the rider fled from spot while Munna died on spot. Two more youths who were travelling on another bike behind Munna also managed to flee,” sources said adding after the news of Munna’s death spread, villagers attacked the police station.
Barsoi SDPO Pankaj Kumar said that the deceased was native of Balthar village under Barsoi police station. He said the situation was brought under control at around 4pm.
Katihar SP Siddhartha Mohan Jain said that a magisterial inqury has been ordered according to the guidelines of National Human Rights Commission on the encounter.
“Post mortem was conducted by a medical board at Sadar hospital and entire process was video recorded,” he said an FIR was under process of getting lodged under in connection with the attack on police station.