Mother reacts to police encounter of Bengal man accused of rape, murder
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Photo: IANS
Prabhash Mondol, the prime accused in the gangrape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur, West Bengal, was killed in a police encounter shortly after midnight. According to a police statement, investigators had taken Mondol to the crime scene to reconstruct the sequence of events as part of the probe.
Police alleged that during the exercise, he snatched a firearm from an officer, fired at the police team, and attempted to flee. Officers retaliated, injuring him. He was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead, Indian Express reported.
Speaking to The Indian Express after the encounter, Mondol's mother, Sandhya Mondol, said her son had received punishment for the crime he had committed.
While expressing grief as a mother, she said she felt a sense of peace that justice had been served. She also stated that she did not wish to see or claim his body, adding that he had not listened to his family and describing him as an addict.
The incident has left Baruipur, around 30 kilometres from Kolkata in South 24 Parganas district, on edge since the body of the 11-year-old girl was recovered from a pond on Sunday.
An autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted, following which police registered a case of gangrape and murder under relevant provisions of the law, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Four people have been arrested in connection with the case, and a six-member Special Investigation Team is investigating the crime.
Police initially arrested Prabhash Mondol, Ananda Sardar and Dibakar Sardar. A fourth accused, Kabir Mollah, was later arrested in Basirhat in North 24 Parganas after investigators tracked him down based on information that he had fled Baruipur following the incident.
Earlier, a man suspected of involvement in the crime was lynched by a mob in Baruipur hours after the girl's body was found. Protesters also blocked roads and set tyres on fire before police restored order.
According to police sources, CCTV footage from the vicinity of the crime scene played a crucial role in the investigation. The footage allegedly showed the victim with Prabhash Mondol shortly before she went missing on Saturday. Her body was recovered the following day inside a sack dumped in a pond.
Police alleged that the accused abducted the girl, consumed alcohol or cannabis near a pond, sexually assaulted her, and later drowned her. Investigators said the post-mortem examination found water in her lungs, indicating that she was still alive when she was placed in a sack and thrown into the pond.
The state's Chief Minister visited Baruipur and met the victim's family. He said the family appeared satisfied with the progress of the investigation.
He also stated that Indrajit Mondal, the man who was lynched on suspicion of involvement in the crime was innocent, citing information provided by the police. He said justice would also be ensured for him and noted that he had met his family.
He further said that around 200 people accused of vandalising public property during protests over the incident had been identified and that legal action would be taken against them.
Responding to allegations that the police delayed efforts to trace the missing child, the Chief Minister said he had directed the state police chief to submit a report within 72 hours. He said that if the inquiry found any negligence, even to a minimal extent, appropriate action would be taken.