Rape-murder accused shot dead in WB police encounter
Kolkata, October 27: The main accused in the rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl was killed in a police encounter in Gaighata, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, early Tuesday morning. This incident bears striking resemblance to the police encounter that took place in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, in July this year. The police encounter’s chronology is similar to that of the previous case, including a late-night crime scene recreation.
According to police sources, the accused, Prahlad Das, was taken to the scene of the incident early Tuesday morning for a dramatic reenactment of the incident. The location is approximately four kilometers from the Bangladesh border.
The police claimed that during the encounter, Prahlad suddenly snatched an officer’s service revolver and opened fire. He fired three rounds, injuring a police officer. In self-defense, the police retaliated with four rounds of gunfire. Seriously injured, Prahlad was immediately rushed to Chandpara Rural Hospital, where doctors on duty declared him dead.
Prahlad is said to be a relative of the victim’s family. He was arrested on Sunday after the minor’s naked and mutilated body was found behind a neighbor’s house. The girl had gone to attend a musical concert (Jalsa) with her family and friends on Saturday night. According to family members, she received a phone call around 11:30 p.m., after which she left the venue and disappeared. Her body was recovered on Sunday morning after an intensive overnight search.
This encounter in Gaighata has brought back memories of a similar incident in Baruipur three and a half months ago, where Prabhas Mandal, the main accused in the gang rape and murder of a minor, was also killed by police gunfire. In that July incident, the police claimed the same thing: that during a late-night crime scene recreation, the accused attempted to escape by snatching a police weapon, and was subsequently killed in self-defense fire.
The Baruipur encounter sparked considerable controversy, and the Calcutta High Court took a strong stance, summoning a detailed police report. The court also ordered the preservation of CCTV footage related to the incident. The case is still pending in court.
