Baruipur Rape-Murder: Key Accused Shot Dead In Police Encounter During Crime Scene Reconstruction

New Delhi: Prabhash Mondol, one of the accused in the gangrape and murder of an 12-year-old girl in Baruipur, West Bengal, was killed in a police encounter early Tuesday. Authorities stated that officers had transported Mondol to the site of the crime late last night as part of a formal reconstruction process when the incident occurred.

According to the police, the situation escalated when the accused seized an officer’s service weapon and fired a shot before attempting to flee. In response, the police returned fire. Mondal was wounded in the exchange and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

What was the case?

A palpable sense of shock and fury had gripped Baruipur after a 12-year-old girl, who had gone out to buy a birthday gift for a friend, was allegedly raped and murdered in the South 24 Parganas district on Sunday (July 5, 2026). The accused reportedly stuffed the girl's body into a sack and disposed of it in a pond after committing the crime.

Preliminary autopsy findings were deeply disturbing as the report confirms rape, with the victim showing signs of severe abuse, including multiple bite marks, and she was allegedly strangled to death. The case had triggered intense public anger. Protests erupted with road and rail blockades, tire-burning, and clashes. 

Man Lynched By Angry Mob

News of the girl's death sparked immediate protests in the area. As per reports, a young man suspected of being involved in the girl's death was lynched by local residents. The angry mob allegedly also attacked police officers who tried to bring the situation under control.

As per unconfirmed reports, locals had caught a man on suspicion of being involved in the crime and had handed him over to the police. However, he was later released.

How was accused identified?

CCTV footage from a shop in Suryapur, released on Monday, provided crucial visual evidence from the day of the incident. The timestamped clips, dated 04-07-2026 around 16:44, shows the minor victim walking along a paved road. 

Beside her is a man identified as Prabhas Mondal, who was arrested by police on Sunday. In the low-resolution footage, a figure in a red shirt and blue cap is seen accompanying a smaller, blurred individual (the victim’s face is obscured for privacy). They move together past railings and shopfronts, with the man appearing to guide or walk closely with the child.

Suvendu steps in

In response to rising public indignation, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also contacted the victim’s father over the phone to assure him of an uncompromised investigation. 

Adhikari ordered Director General of Police Sidd Nath Gupta to provide a detailed report on the case within 72 hours, warning that any lapses in the investigation would be met with severe consequences.

The Chief Minister further stated that, according to police findings, Indrajit Mondal, who was killed during a mob attack, was innocent, and he offered assurances that his family would receive justice.

The Chief Minister said the 200-odd people accused of damaging public property during a protest against the rape-murder had been identified and action will be taken against them.

The Chief Minister also committed to the family's request for a new police outpost in Surjyapur, pledging to inaugurate the facility during his upcoming visit to Baruipur. Regarding further support and compensation, he indicated that a decision would be finalized following a follow-up meeting with both families within the week.

Additionally, Adhikari alleged that the unrest was orchestrated by opposition-linked individuals and "radical, anti-national forces," stating that investigators have already secured evidence, such as call logs, to hold the instigators accountable.

Later, he visited officers injured during the clashes, promising full administrative support. Family members of both the victim and the man killed in the mob attack expressed satisfaction with the Chief Minister's assurances and his dedication to securing justice.

2 arrested, SIT formed

The police also acted with remarkable speed in the aftermath of the tragedy, launching a swift operation that led to the arrest of Prabhas Mondal earlier.

This follows the earlier apprehension of the prime accused, Anand (or Ananda) Sardar, who was taken into custody from the Baruipur area, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to at least three.