Baruipur rape-murder: Wife of man who died in encounter says she herself victim of abuse

Kolkata, Jul 8 (PTI) The wife of Prabhas Mondal, a key accused in the Baruipur rape-murder case, who was killed in an alleged encounter by the police on Wednesday, stated that she cannot say whether her husband was innocent and claimed that he had subjected her to abuse after their marriage. Speaking to reporters after being informed of her husband's death, Champa Mondal said Prabhas did not have any regular occupation and mostly stayed at home. "I cannot say whether he committed this crime. After our marriage, I saw his behaviour. I have endured a lot of abuse while living with him. When his name surfaced in the case, I felt he was capable of doing something like this," Champa said. The accused, identified as Prabhas Mondal, was the first person arrested in connection with the case and was considered one of the prime suspects after CCTV footage purportedly showed him with the minor shortly before she had gone missing. According to the police, Mondal was taken to Surjyapur area of Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district around 12.45 am for reconstruction of the crime scene as part of the investigation. During the exercise, he suddenly snatched a service firearm from a policeman, fired one round at the security personnel and attempted to escape. The police retaliated in self-defence, in which he sustained bullet injuries and died, a police officer said. The body of the girl, who had gone missing on July 4, was found stuffed in a sack in Surjyapur Haat area the next day, triggering a protest by locals. Hours after the girl's body was recovered on Sunday, a man was beaten to death by angry locals on suspicion of involvement in the girl's death. PTI SCH NN