Day after Bihar cop killed in Bengal, his mother dies

On Sunday, the West Bengal police arrested two more persons in connection with the murder, taking the total arrests to five. Prime accused Firoz Alam, at whose house Kumar was attacked, had been arrested earlier along with his mother and one other person.

Kishanganj SP Kumar Ashish said that on Sunday, Kumar’s mother Urmila Devi, 70, collapsed on seeing the body of her son at their Jankinagar home in Purnea district, and died soon after.

Sources in Purnea said the inspector’s mother had a history of heart ailments.

The inspector and his mother were cremated on Sunday at their ancestral village.

The Kishanganj Police has suspended seven policemen for dereliction of duty for leaving Kumar behind at Pantarpara and fleeing when they were attacked.

“We suspended them for leaving the spot while Ashwini Kumar stayed back to save the lives of the two informers,” SP Kumar Ashish said.

At 3 am on Saturday, the police team led by Kumar had found a stolen motorcycle near Alam’s house, following which the SHO began questioning some residents. Soon, a crowd gathered in the area and attacked the policemen. While Kumar’s team members allegedly escaped in a police vehicle, the SHO stayed back to help the informers.

Kishanganj SP Kumar Ashish had earlier accused the West Bengal Police of citing election engagements to not provide assistance to the raid team. “As per CrPC provisions, a police team can conduct raids in the jurisdiction of another police station… Had they helped us, our officer would have been saved.”

Inputs from ENS, Kolkata