Baruipur rape-murder accused killed in encounter; Mumbai airport near-miss under investigation
Kolkata: The man accused in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in West Bengal's Baruipur was shot dead during a police encounter on Wednesday, officials said. The incident has reignited debate over extrajudicial killings in India, with opposition parties demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the death.
According to police, the accused, identified as Prabash Mondol, snatched a constable's weapon and opened fire, prompting officers to fire back. He was declared dead upon arrival at a local hospital. The case had sparked widespread outrage after the child's body was found in a pond earlier this month.
The encounter death is likely to face legal scrutiny, given India's troubled history with such operations in high-profile cases. The victim's mother had previously accused police of negligence, alleging that a delayed response cost her daughter's life. The state government has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
In a separate incident on Tuesday night, a potential disaster was averted at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport when two Air India flights came face-to-face on the same runway. An Air India flight bound for Delhi and an Air India Express aircraft were both taxiing before Air Traffic Control intervened.
The Delhi-bound flight aborted its departure and returned to the bay. No injuries or damage were reported. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered an investigation into why both aircraft were cleared to be on the same strip simultaneously. Air India has not yet released a statement.
Both incidents highlight ongoing concerns about public safety and institutional accountability in India. The Baruipur case has also drawn attention to the handling of crimes against children, while the Mumbai near-miss raises questions about airport coordination protocols.
