The West Bengal Police on Tuesday encountered one of the main accused in the alleged rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur. The police killed the rape accused during reconstruction of the crime.
According to police, the accused Pravash Mondal was taken to the crime scene around midnight as part of the investigation where he was attempted to snatch a firearm from a police officer and escape, prompting the police to open fire.
Mondal was among three suspects arrested after the minor girl’s body was recovered from a pond in Baruipur, where it had allegedly been stuffed inside a sack. The other accused have been identified as Ananda Sardar and Dibakar Sardar. A fourth accused, Kabir Mollah, was later detained from Basirhat.
According to the Police the arrested suspects had confessed to their involvement in the crime. The Investigators have described the alleged rape and murder as a premeditated act.
The police investigation revealed that Mondal allegedly lured the girl to a secluded location where the two other accused were waiting. After the alleged assault, the suspects reportedly placed the victim inside a sack and dumped her in a nearby pond.
The investigation claimed that the post-mortem report of the victim indicated that the girl was still alive when she was thrown into the water, as water was found in her lungs.
The recovery of the girl’s body on Sunday triggered widespread protests across the southern suburbs of Kolkata.
Showing their anger, the enraged locals allegedly damaged railway tracks and police vehicles during demonstrations. Taking action against the angered mob, the Police have arrested at least 20 people in connection with the violence.
However, the authorities also said some of those arrested were allegedly involved in the lynching of Indrajit Mondal, who was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of involvement in the crime before investigators identified the accused.
The case has also sparked political controversy in the state. According to the report, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the families of both the minor victim and the lynching victim, stating that around 200 people had been identified for allegedly instigating the violent protests.
He said strict action would be taken against those responsible and directed all police stations in the district to strengthen measures aimed at preventing crimes against women.
The Chief Minister also instructed Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta to submit a detailed report on the incident and the progress of the investigation within 72 hours.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has alleged that the police were attempting to shield the main accused, adding a political dimension to the ongoing investigation.