Prabhash Mondal, the first person arrested in the alleged rape and murder of a minor in West Bengal's Baruipur, was killed in a police encounter late on Tuesday night during a crime scene reconstruction, officials said.
According to the police, Mondal allegedly attempted to escape after snatching a firearm from police personnel while being taken to reconstruct the sequence of events related to the crime. Officials claimed he opened fire at the police, prompting retaliatory firing. Mondal sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
“At around 12:45 am today (8.7.26), IO of Baruipur PS Case No. 1350/26 along with his team left Baruipur police station with accused Prabash Mondal for the reconstruction of crime in the place of occurrence in Suryapur under Baruipur PS,” police sources said.
CCTV Footage Led Police to Prabhash Mondal
The investigation gathered momentum after police examined CCTV footage from the area following the disappearance of the minor, who had left her home on Saturday saying she was going to attend a friend's birthday celebration.
The footage allegedly showed the girl walking with a man wearing a blue T-shirt and a red cap. Police later identified the individual as Prabhash Mondal and arrested him. During questioning, investigators arrested three more accused—Anand Sardar, Dibakar Sardar, and later Kabir Molla—in connection with the case.
Video Showed Mondal Pointing Out Location of the Body
A video that surfaced after the incident showed a man entering a pond and pointing towards a specific location where the victim's body was allegedly hidden.
Following his indication, police recovered the minor's body, packed inside a sack, from the pond. The recovery triggered public outrage, and local residents allegedly assaulted the man seen in the video. Police later confirmed that the individual was Prabhash Mondal, one of the key accused in the case.
Who Was Prabhash Mondal?
Prabhash Mondal was a resident of the Suryapur area in Baruipur. According to local sources, he lived with his parents, wife and young son.
His father is reportedly unwell, while his mother is a homemaker. His wife worked as a domestic help. Following Mondal's arrest in the rape and murder case, she reportedly left their home with their son and returned to her parental house.
Residents told investigators that Mondal did not have a permanent occupation and worked odd jobs, including driving a van. Locals also alleged that he was addicted to intoxicants.
His mother, Sandhya Mondal, reportedly said, "He never listened to us. He used to take drugs."
Police sources also indicated that the other accused were allegedly part of the same group of associates.
Police Say Mondal Initially Misled Investigators
According to police sources, Mondal initially attempted to mislead investigators during interrogation by providing incorrect information. However, after the arrest of the remaining accused, investigators questioned each of them separately, helping piece together the sequence of events surrounding the crime.
Chief Minister Meets Governor Over Baruipur Case
On Wednesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the Raj Bhavan and submitted a report on the overall Baruipur incident. According to sources, the Chief Minister discussed the developments in the case with the Governor.
The alleged rape and murder of the minor has triggered widespread outrage across the state, with the investigation continuing and multiple accused now in police custody. The circumstances surrounding Prabhash Mondal's death in the police encounter are also expected to come under further scrutiny.
