NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday accused the West Bengal Police of carrying out an "encounter killing" to silence a key accused in the rape and murder of a minor girl in Baruipur, claiming that the state has "officially become UP 2.0".
Addressing reporters, Moitra said Prabhas Mondal, the "main accused and the only eyewitness" in the case, was killed while being taken to recreate the crime scene.
Referring to the police version that Mondal snatched a policeman's service weapon, opened fire and attempted to flee, she questioned why he was shot dead.
"Today is a bloodthirsty day in Bengal. For the first time in the history of Bengal, we have seen an encounter killing. Bengal has officially become UP 2.0," she said.
The TMC leader said there were strict rules governing police firing during encounters, and the officers were expected to aim below the knee.
"Why did the Bengal Police shoot this man in a manner that he is dead? Because they are acting on behalf of the BJP and they want to shut Prabhas Mondal's mouth," she alleged.
Moitra claimed that three accused in the case had initially been released by BJP leader Shantanu Mandal, while the accused Ananda Sarkar was arrested again after public outrage.
She claimed that Prabhas Mondal, in a purported statement made in police custody, had mentioned another accused named Raja.
"Who is Raja? Is the BJP going to tell us who Raja is?" she asked, asserting that the encounter was carried out to shield BJP workers allegedly involved in the crime.
The Krishnanagar MP also hit out at BJP leaders for describing the killing as "divine justice", saying India was governed by the Constitution and the Rule of Law.
"We do not believe in divine justice. We believe in the Rule of Law and justice, which can be given only by a court of law. Any person accused of rape, murder or any heinous crime has the right to a speedy and fair trial," she said.
Moitra alleged that "Bengal is living by the rule of the jungle".
According to the police, Prabhas Mondal was killed after he allegedly snatched a police officer's service pistol, opened fire and attempted to escape while being taken to the crime scene for reconstruction in the Baruipur rape-murder case.
Police have maintained that officers fired in self-defence after he attacked the team.
The body of an 11-year-old girl, who had gone missing on July 4 in West Bengal's Baruipur, was recovered from a pond in the Surjyapur Haat area the next day.
Preliminary post-mortem report indicated that the victim had suffered severe head injuries, was sexually assaulted and was thrown into the water alive, before her body was stuffed inside a gunny bag.
The incident had triggered widespread outrage.
