Bengal Class 11 student rape-murder accused killed in encounter during crime scene reconstruction

KOLKATA: The 23-year-old man arrested for the alleged rape and murder of a 17-year-old Class 11 student in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district was killed in a police encounter early Tuesday, police sources said.The accused, Prahlad Das, allegedly snatched a service revolver during the reconstruction of the crime scene in Bongaon between 3am and 3.30am, fired at police personnel and jumped into a pond in an attempt to escape, according to police sources.Police opened fire in self-defence. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead.The accused’s death comes two days after the girl’s body was recovered from behind a house in Gaighata, near the Indo-Bangladesh border, on Sunday morning.The teenager had allegedly gone missing on Saturday night after attending a musical programme near a local market.According to the police, the girl, who lived with her maternal grandparents, had left the programme after receiving a phone call. Her family members and neighbours searched for her through the night before locals found her body in the backyard of a relative’s house.The body bore multiple injuries, including marks on the head and face, preliminary findings indicated. A post-mortem examination was ordered as part of the investigation.Police had arrested Das, a resident of Shimulpur in Gaighata who was reportedly known to the victim, on the basis of a complaint lodged by her family. A Bongaon court had remanded him in 10 days of police custody on Sunday.Bongaon Police District SP Bidisha Kalita Dasgupta had said a special investigation team led by the area’s additional superintendent of police was formed to probe the case. Investigators were also examining whether others were involved in the crime.Preliminary questioning had suggested that the accused allegedly harboured resentment towards the girl over remarks she had made about his mother, police said, adding that the motive and possible involvement of others were being investigated.The incident had triggered protests in the area, prompting the deployment of a large police contingent, including Rapid Action Force and Combat Force personnel, to maintain law and order.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in KolkataStay updated with the latest Kolkata news. Download the TOI App.