West Bengal police on Wednesday said one of the key accused in the alleged rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur was killed in an alleged encounter after he attempted to escape from custody during a crime scene reconstruction exercise.
The accused, Prabhas Mondal was taken to Surjyapur in South 24 Parganas district on Tuesday night as part of the investigation, a senior police officer said.
According to the officer, the accused allegedly snatched a firearm from a police personnel and tried to flee. He also allegedly fired at the police personnel, prompting them to retaliate in self-defence, the officer said.
Prabhas Mondal sustained bullet injuries in the exchange of fire and was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead, police said.
Investigators identified Mondal as one of the prime suspects in the case. Police said CCTV footage had captured him with the 11-year-old victim shortly before the alleged rape and murder.
The police said Mondal had allegedly been misleading investigators during questioning and was not cooperating with the probe, prompting the investigation team to reconstruct the crime scene to ascertain the sequence of events and his role in the crime.
The investigation is continuing, the officer added.
The girl's body was recovered from a sack in the Surjyapur Haat area on July 5, a day after she went missing, sparking widespread protests in Baruipur. Angry residents blocked the Baruipur–Joynagar Road, set tyres ablaze and vandalised police vehicles, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.
Hours after the body was found, a man was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of involvement in the crime.
Police subsequently arrested three people in connection with the case and constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had on Tuesday directed Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta to submit a report in the case of the rape-murder of a minor in Baruipur within 72 hours, and said that the person who was lynched by a mob in the aftermath of the incident was innocent.
Adhikari also said that action will be taken against around 200 identified people, who allegedly vandalised public property, damaged police vehicles and railway tracks during the protest.