Kolkata : The main accused in the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in West Bengal’s Baruipur was killed in a police encounter early Tuesday after allegedly snatching a policeman’s firearm and opening fire during a crime scene reconstruction, officials said. The accused, Prabash Mondal, was among three people arrested in connection with the rape and murder of the girl, whose body was found stuffed inside a sack in a pond in Baruipur earlier this week.
A team from Baruipur Police Station left the station around 12.45 am with Mondal to reconstruct the sequence of events at Surjyapur, where the victim’s body had been recovered. Police said that shortly before the reconstruction began, Mondal snatched the service weapon of a police personnel, fired one round at the police team and tried to escape. The police then retaliated, injuring him. He was rushed to Baruipur Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Enraged locals blocked the Baruipur-Joynagar Road, set tyres on fire and vandalised police vehicles during the protests. The case took another violent turn when a man identified as Indrajit Mondal was lynched by an angry mob on suspicion of being involved in the crime. Hours after the girl’s body was recovered, the mob attacked and killed him.
Amid mounting public outrage, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday directed Director General of Police Sidd Nath Gupta to submit a report on the case within 72 hours and said strict action would be taken if any negligence was found in the investigation. “The entire matter has been examined. I have conducted a primary analysis. I asked the DGP to submit a report within 72 hours.
Adhikari also said around 200 people involved in vandalising public property, damaging police vehicles and railway tracks during the protests had been identified and would be arrested. Those involved in the lynching of Indrajit Mondal would face murder charges, he added. He added that the family had also sought compensation and other assistance, which would be announced after he meets both affected families again within a week.
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