Baruipur rape-murder probe: Accused sold 12-yr-old to co-accused for Rs 10,000

Police encounter death of Prabhas Mondal will not derail the investigation. Mondal confessed to luring the child for Rs 10,000 cash. His disclosures led to the victim’s body recovery and other arrests

KOLKATA: For Rs 10,000, Prabhas Mondal lured a 12-year-old girl and sold her to his co-accused — a confession that cracked open the Baruipur rape-murder case even as he himself was shot dead in an encounter early Wednesday, allegedly while trying to escape police custody during a crime scene reconstruction in Suryapur.Police said Mondal admitted he was paid by the co-accused to lure the child to them, a disclosure that led to the recovery of the victim’s body and the arrest of the three remaining accused before he was shot dead while allegedly trying to escape during a crime scene reconstruction in Suryapur.Senior officers said Mondal was the last person seen with the victim alive. During questioning, he allegedly admitted that the co-accused had paid him Rs 10,000 to bring the child to them. “Further investigation is underway into this claim,” an officer said.Police said the girl left her home around 4 pm on Saturday, telling her family she was going to attend a friend’s birthday party, but never returned. Local residents later reviewed CCTV footage, which showed her walking with a man wearing a blue T-shirt and a red cap. They identified him as Mondal, leading to his arrest.During interrogation, Mondal first allegedly tried to mislead investigators with false information. However, sustained questioning and evidence gathered from other accused revealed his alleged role in the crime. His disclosures led police to a pond where the victim’s body, stuffed inside a sack, was recovered. The recovery triggered outrage among local residents, who assaulted him before police intervened.Police said Mondal’s statements also led to the arrests of Anand Sardar and Dibakar Sardar, while Kabir Molla was arrested on Tuesday after his name surfaced during the investigation.Investigators described Mondal as a habitual offender with a history of bootlegging and drug abuse. Local police said he had previously been warned over criminal activities but continued associating with people involved in illegal trade. Residents also claimed he frequently shifted political loyalties.A viral video from Sunday showed him being escorted by a local BJP mandal president while residents were searching for the missing girl, though police have not linked the political footage to the crime.A resident of Suryapur, Mondal lived with his parents, wife and young son. His father is unwell, his mother is a homemaker and his wife works as a domestic help. Following his arrest in the case, his wife left the family home with their son. His mother said Mondal had no permanent job and occasionally drove a van to earn a living.Despite Mondal’s death, the SIT said the case against the remaining accused remains strong. Officers said they had completed his interrogation, secured forensic evidence, seized CCTV footage and sent key material to the forensic science laboratory. “There is sufficient evidence linking him directly to the crime, and the investigation will continue against the remaining accused,” a senior officer said.Role of Prabhas Mondal

What happens after his death?Criminal proceedings against Mondal abate because of his death.Legal experts say his absence as an accused may require prosecutors to rely more heavily on forensic evidence, CCTV footage and other witnesses to establish the conspiracy involving the three surviving accused.Police’s stand