A burden off my chest: Mother refuses to see face of rape-murder accused killed in police encounter

Mangalore Today News Network

Kolkata,, Nov 10, 2026: The mother of Dilip Roy, the man accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district, has refused to take his body home or even see his face after he was killed in a police encounter on Monday. She said his death had brought her relief after years of alleged neglect and abuse.

Roy was killed in an exchange of fire with police near the Bihar border in Raiganj in the early hours of Monday.

His mother, who visited the hospital to see his body, expressed no grief over his death and instead supported the police action.

"What can I say? Whatever has happened is good. The police have given him the punishment he deserved. I feel a burden has been lifted off my chest," she said.

She alleged that Roy had failed to fulfil his responsibilities as a son and had subjected her to years of hardship, leaving her without financial or other support even in her old age.

"He was not a good son. He never gave me even a handful of food, not a single rupee. It is good that this burden has been lifted. I have come to see the body. What else can I do? He was my only son," she said.

The elderly woman firmly refused to take his body home or see his face, leaving the arrangements to other family members.

"I will not see his face. I will not take him home either. You can do whatever you want," she said.

She also accused the police of mistreating her family, alleging that she and other relatives had been taken to the police station and beaten with lathis over her son’s alleged involvement in the crime.

Describing the family’s difficult financial and personal circumstances, she said there was hardly anyone to look after them. Her husband suffers from respiratory problems, while she has high blood pressure and a health condition affecting her hand.

She said arranging food for the family was already a struggle and that repeated visits to the police station, confrontations with police personnel and the mental stress surrounding the case had further worsened their situation.

The woman declined to comment on her daughter-in-law, stating that the couple lived separately.

According to police officials, the encounter took place around 3.30 am on Monday near the Bihar border, close to the Gouri gram panchayat area. A team from Raiganj police station had gone to arrest Roy when he allegedly opened fire at the police personnel.

The police retaliated in self-defence, leaving Roy with bullet injuries. He was rushed to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The incident follows the recovery of the decomposed body of a 12-year-old girl from Kulik forest on November 5, three days after she went missing. Roy, who was her uncle, was accused of raping and murdering her.

The encounter marks the fourth reported police encounter in West Bengal since the BJP came to power in May.