BJP hails Baruipur encounter, TMC calls it 'jungle law'

Kolkata, Jul 8 (PTI) West Bengal's political landscape was abuzz with a fresh war of words on Wednesday over the alleged encounter killing of one of the main accused in the Baruipur rape-murder case, with the BJP describing the incident as "divine justice" and the TMC condemning it as an example of "jungle law". Using the development, the BJP also renewed its demand for reopening the 2013 Kamduni gang rape and murder case. The party called for fresh action in the case involving the abduction, gang rape and murder of a 20-year-old college student, arguing that justice remains incomplete. "The demon Prabhas Mondal, who raped and killed a girl in Baruipur, was killed in police firing during the early hours of Tuesday, after he tried to flee with firearms. Divine Justice!" BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said in a post on X. TMC's Mahua Moitra questioned the role of the West Bengal Police over the killing of the Baruipur rape and murder accused, which the police claimed was a result of "retaliatory firing made in self-defence". In a social media post, Moitra said, "Baruipur rape murder accused Prabhash Mondal killed in encounter! What is going on @WBPolice? Bengalis please welcome new Bengal-Uttar Pradesh 2.0. BJP4Bengal is no government. This is jungle law." Her remarks came after police claimed that one of the prime accused in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl was killed in the alleged early morning encounter after he "snatched a firearm from a policeman and tried to escape from custody" during a crime scene reconstruction exercise. The encounter – the first such police action since the BJP government assumed office in the state in May – came amid mounting public outrage over the crime, which had sparked violent protests and put the police under intense pressure. "I condemn the encounter death of the Baruipur accused Prabhas Mondal. It shows that the government has no control over the police. This is the worst form of police brutality," senior TMC MP Saugata Roy told PTI videos. "Yesterday both the chief minister and the DGP were at Baruipur, and the latter was asked to give a final report within 72 hours. Within that period, an encounter death has occurred. The DGP should revisit the place and submit a report on the encounter death. This is the Yogi model which is being followed in Bengal with law and order collapsing," he added. Dismissing the charges, BJP's Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya said the TMC had no locus standi to make such claims since the people of the state has "already rejected them". "No criminal or rapist will be spared. Before the elections, the BJP had promised the women of West Bengal - 'Bhoy Out, Bhorosa In'. This was the message of the PM. We are doing what we had said in our manifesto. The current state government, led by CM Suvendu Adhikari, has taken the necessary steps to ensure zero tolerance," he told reporters. Bhattacharya reiterated the party's demand to reopen the Kamduni gang rape and murder files and bring perpetrators – who were acquitted by the court, released from prison or whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment – to justice. "The previous TMC government had held the probe in such a manner so as to please a certain community, the prime accused in the Kamduni incident were released. The Kamduni victim was denied justice. The times have changed. So we have urged the government to reopen the Kamduni file," he said. Mousumi Kayal, a prominent face of the Kamduni people's movement against the horrific crime, hailed the police encounter, describing it as the "beginning of Asur Vadh" (slaying of the demon). "We have been fighting for justice for the last 13 years, but the previous TMC government stood with the rapists and murderers and released them from jail. The action of the new government has brought us solace," she said, responding to the Baruipur encounter death. "The investigation must be conducted swiftly, the confessions of the accused must be taken, and then they should be encountered. This is justice. This is the true punishment for rapists," she said. Tumpa Kayal, another prominent Kamduni protestor, alleged that the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government had "changed public prosecutors 14 times" in court to ensure acquittal of the accused. "Had the previous government tackled such crimes with an iron hand then, the minor girl of Baruipur would not have met with such a violent and painful death," she maintained. PTI BSM SMY RG