Halisahar Custody Death case: CM announces police action, magistrate inquiry, ₹10 lakh assistance and a government job for the victim’s wife.
By Qalam Times News Network
Kolkata, August 10, 2026
Halisahar Custody Death has triggered serious questions over the conduct of the police after Trinamool Congress worker Birju Keot died while in police custody. Visiting the bereaved family on Monday, Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari acknowledged police negligence and announced disciplinary action against officers connected with the case.
The Halisahar Custody Death case will now undergo a magistrate-level inquiry. The investigating officer, Firoz Mallik, has been suspended, while Halisahar police station’s officer-in-charge, Tamal Dutta, has been removed from the station and sent to the police lines. North 24 Parganas District Magistrate Shilpi Gaurisaria has been assigned responsibility for the inquiry.
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The Chief Minister said the exact circumstances surrounding Keot’s death would become clear only after the post-mortem report is examined. The victim’s family has alleged that he was physically assaulted inside the police station. Police, however, had earlier maintained that he died after suffering a cardiac problem.
Standing by the family, the government announced financial assistance of ₹10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Keot’s wife, Jeni Sharma Keot, will also be provided employment. According to the announcement, she will receive ₹15,000 per month for one year, after which arrangements will be made to appoint her to a Group-D post.
The Chief Minister said the family had submitted a written complaint alleging physical assault and assured them that the progress of the official inquiry would be communicated regularly to both the government and the family.
Keot had been arrested by Halisahar police on allegations including extortion. He was produced before a court on Friday, which reportedly granted five days of police custody. His death was subsequently reported while he was in custody.
His wife has alleged that police assault inside the lock-up led to his death. The administration is now awaiting the post-mortem findings to establish the precise cause of death.
The case has also acquired a political dimension. Former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee visited the family on Sunday and criticised the state administration. Her visit was reportedly met with protests from local residents, with allegations and counter-allegations adding to the political tension surrounding the incident.
The government has maintained that the matter will be investigated according to established procedure and that action will follow if any police personnel are found responsible. The post-mortem report and magistrate-level inquiry are therefore expected to play a crucial role in determining what happened to Birju Keot while he was in custody.
