Sanat Ghosh

Malda, Jan. 25: Malda police have suspended till further notice two home guards and two National Volunteer Force (NVF) personnel who had allegedly deserted an assistant sub-inspector while on duty.

While the four security men fled the spot, ASI Sanat Ghosh was hacked to death by Sheikh Ansarul — a former army driver and an accused in an abduction case — and his two sons whom he had gone to arrest in Chandpur village. Ghosh had ordered the NVF men to fire, but they did not. They later claimed the rifles did not go off.

However, Malda police chief Bhuban Mondol said yesterday that the police had recovered a round of bullet from the spot — proof that the rifles had been used once.

Home guards Subhas Mondol and Ainul Haq and NVF personnel Angad Sarkar and Nagen Mondol have been charged with dereliction of duty — fleeing the scene, leaving the ASI to fight on his own.

“The four did not act responsibly. They were armed and despite that, they decided to save their own skins while their officer was being fatally attacked. The entire incident has been investigated by the additional superintendent of police Kalyan Mukherjee, and he has said in his report that Ghosh’s life could have been saved had the four acted more responsibly. The force that accompanied Sanat Ghosh was adequate enough to prevent such an incident,” said Mondol.

Sources at Ratua police station where the four are posted said they were not given any duties following the suspension. Home guards and NVF personnel are casual workers and are paid a daily wage of Rs 250, the sources said.

The director-general of police, A. B. Vohra, has sought a detailed report about the incident. “We sent a detailed report to the director-general of police this afternoon. We have also started cases against Sheikh Ansarul, his wife and three sons and his daughter-in-law for murdering Sanat Ghosh. They have also been booked under the Arms Act,” the Malda police chief said.

He said all police stations in Malda and adjoining districts have been alerted so that Ansarul and his family members are apprehended as soon as possible.

Ansarul’s daughter, 16-year-old Rimi Khatun, had been brought to the Ratua police station yesterday. “She has told the police that it was her father who hit the officer with a chopper on the head. His sons then attacked Ghosh. She said she fainted at the sight of blood and violence. Her father, mother and brothers deserted her and fled the scene,” Mondol said.

The girl is currently being kept at the Ratua police station. “We are not pressing any charges against the girl, and since she has no home to return to she is currently under the care of the lady constables at the police station. We will decide on whether or not to send her to a home (government shelter),” Mondol said.

With a section of the police refusing to go on raids at night after the incident, the cop boss is worried. “How can this be? Then there will be a spurt in crime. We are trying to instil confidence among the force,” Mondol said.

The police chief said Ghosh’s next of kin will be paid Rs 5 lakh and his wife will be offered a job in the department.