According to police sources, the accused, Prahlad Das, had been taken to the crime scene in Gaighata following his arrest in connection with the case. During the reconstruction exercise, he allegedly snatched the firearm of an escorting policeman and fired at the police personnel. The officers retaliated in self-defence, leaving Das seriously injured.
Das was taken to Chandpara Rural Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His body has been sent for post-mortem examination. Police said no personnel were injured in the firing. Authorities are also likely to investigate the circumstances under which the accused managed to snatch a police officer’s service revolver.
Following news of Das’s death, his family members rushed to the hospital and expressed anger over the incident. Tension developed in the area, prompting the deployment of a large police contingent at the hospital and in surrounding areas to maintain law and order.
The Gaighata incident is the second such case in West Bengal in the past three months in which a rape and murder accused was killed in police firing during a crime scene reconstruction exercise.
In July, Pravas Mondal, one of the prime accused in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas district, was killed in a similar encounter. Police had said Mondal snatched the revolver of an escorting officer and opened fire while attempting to escape. He was subsequently killed when police fired in self-defence.
The death of Das has drawn reactions from the victim’s parents, who said they had been informed that the accused was killed while allegedly attempting to escape after opening fire at police during the reconstruction exercise.
The victim’s father said the police had acted correctly, according to the information provided to him. “Will I ever get my daughter back? I never will. From what I've heard from the police, the perpetrator tried to escape, and the police opened fire. What else can I say... will I ever get my daughter back? What happened-under government orders-was the right thing. If someone tries to escape, they are bound to be shot. Will I ever find the person who killed my daughter?”
The victim’s mother, Kanika Biswas, also reacted to the news of the accused’s death, describing it as a positive development. “I have heard that the accused has died. It is a good thing that he is dead. I heard that he was trying to escape and had fired at the police.”
West Bengal Panchayat Minister Dilip Ghosh defended the police action in the Gaighata rape and murder case, saying that those who defy the law must face the consequences. He said such incidents had occurred in the past and argued that police action was necessary to restore public confidence in law enforcement.
“Similar incidents have occurred in the past. A perpetrator attempted to escape and was killed in an encounter-this happened in South 24 Parganas, and a similar event has taken place here as well. Everyone must be brought to justice; no one is above the law. However, those who choose to defy the law must face such consequences. The police will ensure that people receive justice. The public has lost faith in the police and to restore that trust, the police may sometimes have to take actions that are unpopular,” Ghosh said.
The encounter followed the recovery of the body of the 17-year-old Class 11 student near a relative’s house in Gaighata. The girl’s semi-nude body was found at around 6:00 am on Sunday and was subsequently sent for post-mortem examination.
According to the victim’s family, they had been staying at her maternal uncle’s house because of her mother’s illness. The alleged crime took place in that area.
Family members alleged that the girl had been raped and murdered. Following a complaint lodged at Gaighata Police Station, Prahlad Das, who was also a relative of the victim, was detained for questioning and later arrested.
The family said the girl had gone with relatives and friends to attend a musical and cultural programme near her home on the night of October 24. Around midnight, she allegedly received a phone call and left the venue but did not return. After the programme ended, her relatives began searching for her but were unable to locate her.
Her body was found near a relative’s house on Sunday morning. The victim’s mother said the body had been recovered in a nude condition.
“She went with her friends to attend a cultural function at Amtolipur Bazar at around 8:00 pm. On Sunday, at around 5:00 am, the body was recovered,” she had said.
The case has now drawn attention to two similar encounters in West Bengal within three months, while the circumstances surrounding the latest incident, including the alleged seizure of a police officer’s firearm, are likely to come under scrutiny.
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