CID to probe Baruipur encounter alongside judicial inquiry

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has ordered a CID probe into the police encounter in Baruipur in which Prabhas Mondal, one of the four accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl, was killed. A parallel judicial inquiry has also been initiated, while police arrested 40 more people over the past 24 hours on charges of lynching, attacking police personnel and violence linked to the case.

The CID has taken over the investigation into Mondal's death. Under established legal procedure, the district police where an encounter takes place cannot investigate the incident. Accordingly, the Baruipur encounter case has been handed over to the CID for an independent probe, while a judicial inquiry will run simultaneously.

Mondal, one of the four accused in the alleged rape and murder of the minor in South 24 Parganas district, was shot during a police operation on Tuesday night. According to police, he tried to escape from custody while officers were reconstructing the crime scene and attempted to snatch a service firearm. Police alleged that Mondal opened fire, prompting them to retaliate.


He sustained bullet injuries and was taken to Baruipur Sub-Divisional Hospital, where he was declared dead.

The state secretariat, Nabanna, said the judicial inquiry had already been initiated in accordance with established norms and would continue alongside the CID investigation.