The death of Prहलाद Das, an accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, has triggered questions from his family after police said he was shot during an escape attempt following a crime-scene reconstruction. Das’s mother, Rekha Das, has disputed the police account and demanded compensation, saying her son’s hands were tied when he was brought home for the reconstruction.
Police have claimed that Das snatched an officer’s firearm and opened fire while he was being taken back to Gaighata police station in the early hours of Tuesday. According to the police account reported by Anandabazar, the vehicle stopped near Baidyabati after Das requested to urinate. He allegedly then seized a firearm from a police officer and fired three rounds. One bullet reportedly hit the police vehicle and a police officer was injured during the incident.
Police have further claimed that one officer jumped into a roadside waterbody while others returned fire in self-defence. Four rounds were allegedly fired by the police, one of which struck Das. He was taken to Chandpara Rural Hospital with gunshot injuries, where doctors declared him dead. The injured police officer received preliminary treatment at the same hospital.
The account has been challenged by Das’s mother. She told reporters that her son had been brought to the family home around 2am with his hands tied and that five police officers were present. She questioned how he could have taken a pistol and fired it in those circumstances. The family has also said that if Das had committed the alleged crime, he should have faced punishment through the legal process rather than dying in police firing.
The family’s claims have not been independently established in the material available, while the police account has been attributed to police sources. Rekha Das said the family wanted justice as well as compensation, adding that both the girl and her son had died. Das’s father, Ramprasad Das, also said the family believed the alleged crime deserved punishment but could not accept the manner of his son’s death.
The underlying case began after the teenager left a local event near her home late on Saturday night after receiving a phone call, according to her family. She did not return, and her body was found on Sunday morning. Her family alleged that she had been raped and murdered. Police arrested Das, a relative of the girl’s family, on Sunday.
Das’s body was sent to Barasat Medical College for a post-mortem examination and was handed over to his family on Tuesday night. The family has now raised questions about the circumstances of the shooting and sought compensation. The police account and the family’s allegations remain materially different, making the official investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings central to establishing what happened during the reconstruction and the return journey.
