Kolkata: West Bengal, under a BJP government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has come under political fire after a police shooting linked to a brutal crime case.
According to reports, a 12-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered in Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district. The accused, identified as Prabhas Mondal, and his associates are alleged to have dumped the body in a pond.
Police later took Prabhas to the crime scene for a reconstruction of events. During the visit, he was shot dead on the spot. Police claimed he was killed while attempting to escape.
Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and others condemned the police action. When Mamata led a protest march against the incident, people reportedly threw eggs at the procession.
Opposition parties alleged that the state government is adopting the “encounter” approach associated with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Reports also said Suvendu has argued that such an approach would prevent alleged police bias seen during Mamata’s tenure, and that he is preparing details of past cases to support his claims.
