Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 8 : Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kirti Azad on Wednesday alleged that the police encounter of Prabhas Mondal, an accused in the Baruipur rape and murder case, was "staged" to prevent the disclosure of internal secrets of the ruling BJP.
Speaking with ANI, Azad claimed that Mondal was a worker for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and possessed sensitive information that the party wanted to keep hidden.
"Do you know who Prabhas Mondal is? He is a BJP worker. He possesses a lot of inside information about them--details regarding their plans and preparations. To ensure he doesn't spill the beans on these internal secrets, it is being staged to look like an encounter took place," Azad said.
The TMC MP further questioned the feasibility of an encounter occurring while a suspect is under police supervision.
"How does an encounter happen while he is in your custody? You would have had him restrained. So, this is all just a charade--nothing more," he added, claiming that dozens of rape cases have occurred in the state since the BJP took power.
Turning towards the recent developments in the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case, Azad also launched a scathing attack on the Trust, citing internal friction as evidence of financial irregularities. He referred to the public disagreements between trust officials Champat Rai and Anil Mishra.
"The mutual mudslinging between Champat Rai and Anil Mishra is making the situation quite interesting; it has become evident that a theft did indeed take place. And what about Krishna Mohan ji, who was appointed Acting General Secretary? The 80 lakh rupees seized on the first day were kept at his home before being deposited into the trust's account," Azad alleged.
Questioning the delay in legal action regarding the seized funds, the TMC leader dismissed the ongoing investigation as a facade.
"Why wasn't an FIR filed that very day? The SIT is merely a charade--a cover-up operation, nothing more," he asserted.
Earlier today, the primary suspect, Prabhas Mondal, in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur, in South 24 Parganas, was killed in a police encounter, according to police officials.
According to the Baruipur Superintendent of Police (SP), the incident occurred during the reconstruction of the crime scene. The police said that during the process, Mondal attempted to snatch a service weapon from an officer and opened fire at the police team.
In the ensuing retaliatory fire from police, Mondal sustained critical injuries. He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead by medical authorities, the SP stated.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has planned a rally in Kolkata over several issues, including the Baruipur rape and murder case.
Talking to ANI, TMC MP Sougata Roy said, "A rally is scheduled to be held from 3 pm from Ballygunge Phari to Hazra crossing. The High Court has given permission to hold the rally. It will be a rally of the medical students of the party. I am not sure if Mamata Banerjee will participate in the rally."
Mondal was the key accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur, in South 24 Parganas. The 12-year-old girl went missing on Saturday and was later found dead in a pond, with an alleged case of rape and murder triggering outrage and protests in the area.