Kolkata: A 23-year-old man accused of raping and murdering a 17-year-old Class 11 student in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district was killed in a police encounter during crime scene reconstruction in the early hours of Tuesday, police sources said.
The accused, identified as Prahlad Das, allegedly snatched a service revolver during the reconstruction exercise in Bongaon between 3 am and 3.30 am, opened fire at police personnel and jumped into a pond in an attempt to escape, according to police sources. The police fired in self-defence, following which Das was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
The victim’s body was recovered from the backyard of a relative’s house in Gaighata on Sunday morning, a day after she went missing following a musical programme near a local market.
Preliminary findings indicated multiple injuries on the victim’s head and face. Police had arrested Das following a complaint by the girl’s family, and a court had remanded him to 10 days of police custody.
A special investigation team has been formed to probe the case, including the possible involvement of others. The incident triggered protests in the area, prompting the deployment of additional security personnel to maintain law and order.
Police said the investigation into the motive and other aspects of the case was underway.
