Our Bureau
Kolkata
A key accused in the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in West Bengal’s Baruipur was killed in a police encounter early Wednesday after allegedly attempting to escape custody by snatching a police firearm during an investigation, officials said.
According to police, the accused was taken to Suryapur in South 24 Parganas district for reconstruction of the crime scene when he allegedly overpowered an officer, grabbed the officer’s service pistol and opened fire while trying to flee. Police retaliated, injuring the accused, who was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead. No police personnel sustained serious injuries in the exchange of fire.
The accused was among those arrested in connection with the alleged rape and murder of the minor girl, whose body was recovered from a pond in Baruipur last week. The incident sparked widespread public outrage, with residents staging protests and demanding swift action against those responsible. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been probing the case, and several suspects have been arrested.
Senior police officials said the encounter occurred during the course of the investigation and that standard legal procedures would be followed. Authorities have initiated an inquiry into the encounter, as mandated in such cases.
The investigation into the rape-murder case continues, with police collecting forensic and digital evidence to establish the sequence of events and determine the role of the remaining accused. Security has been heightened in the area to prevent any further unrest, while authorities have appealed to the public to maintain peace as the probe progresses.
