kolkata

IIE Digital Desk: The Calcutta High Court has intervened to require complete transparency from law enforcement in the case of a primary suspect who was shot dead after being sexually assaultes and killing an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur. An Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee presided over a Division Bench that ordered the District Superintendent of Police to file an affidavit outlining all aspects regarding the death of Prabhash Mondal, who died during re-construction of alleged midnight crime scene.

In a Public Interest Litigation, the High Court has taken action to challenge the official police narrative regarding the incident. Police say that Mondal was brought to the scene where the victim's body was first found in early hours of July 8 so they could recreate the crime timeline. Mondal reportedly took a service revolver from Deputy Commander Maxime Mackay and fired upon while trying to break free, according police. Upon firing at the officers, Mondal was wounded in two places and then taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. Nevertheless, the petitioner's legal representative expressed dissatisfaction with the police religious procedures during such an attack. According to Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, the suspect would have been incapable of disarming a police officer had he implemented adequate safety and security measures. Nevertheless, the petition presents grave critiques of procedural inadequacy, questioning whether the incident was an authentic strategic move or some accidental failure within the organization.

In court, additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar defended the state authorities by stating that a suo motu case has already been registered regarding the shooting and that the Criminal Investigation Department is currently monitoring the investigation.

The underlying criminal investigation was launched after widespread panic ensued when an 11-year-old girl disappeared on July 4. The discovery of her body being dumped in a nearby pond sparked angry local protests, as well as road closures and violent confrontations with police. The Calcutta High Court has scheduled the next hearing for August 18, where state officials must present their sworn affidavit detailing the steps taken and justifying the fatal encounter, after police tracked and identified Mondal as the abductor of the young girl through CCTV footage. Anand Sardar, Dibakar Sarder, and Kabir Mollah, two co-accused, are expected to face charges in the attack.