Siliguri, 19th January: Following a shooting incident attacking police officers, the administration has begun considering changes in security arrangements. Plans are being made to strengthen security at the court premises and to alter the procedure for presenting criminals in court.
The incident occurred last Wednesday when notorious criminal Sajjak Alam was being brought from the Goalpokhar Court in Uttar Dinajpur to court. After the hearing, while he was being escorted back to jail, Sajjak suddenly shot two police officers on duty and managed to escape. This raised concerns about how the criminal had access to a firearm inside the court premises.
In response to the incident, State DG Rajeev Kumar issued strict security guidelines to district police and police commissionerate officials. Following this, Siliguri Metropolitan Police’s DCP Tanmay Sarkar inspected the Siliguri District Court premises, reviewing security measures, prisoner handling, and the number of police personnel present in the court.
According to police sources, discussions are underway to use online platforms for presenting prisoners in court, instead of physically bringing them to the courthouse. Previously, prisoners were transported to court on every hearing date, but after the shooting incident, the idea of conducting court hearings online for prisoners is now under consideration.
Senior police officials have begun talks with judges about this matter. Since the shooting, the presentation of prisoners at the Siliguri Court has been temporarily suspended. For security reasons, both the court and jail authorities are working together to develop a comprehensive plan for online hearings. This initiative is being taken to prevent such incidents in the future.