Kolkata: A police encounter late Tuesday night in Baruipur in West Bengal has left one of the prime suspects in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl dead, intensifying the spotlight on a case that has shaken West Bengal.
The accused, Pravash Mondal, was taken to the crime scene around midnight for reconstruction when he allegedly tried to snatch a firearm and escape. Police sources said Mondal was shot during the attempt.
He was among three suspects arrested after the girl's body was discovered stuffed in a sack and dumped in a pond. The other two, Ananda Sardar and Dibakar Sardar, have reportedly confessed, while a fourth accused, Kabir Mollah, was picked up from Basirhat.
The gruesome crime triggered violent protests across southern suburbs, with angry locals vandalising railway tracks and police vehicles. At least 20 people have been arrested for rioting, including those accused of lynching an innocent man, Indrajit Mondal, on suspicion of involvement.
Investigators believe the gangrape and murder was premeditated. Mondal allegedly lured the girl to a secluded spot where the others were waiting. The autopsy suggests she was alive when thrown into the pond, as water was found in her lungs.