Police said the rape-murder accused opened fire at the police team and was killed in retaliation. (Representational image)A 23-year-old man accused of raping and murdering a minor girl was shot dead in an encounter with police in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district last night. This is the second time in the past four months that a rape-murder accused has been killed in a police encounter in Bengal.Police sources have said a Class 11 student went missing from her home in Bengal’s North 24 Parganas on Saturday. Her body was found near her neighbour’s house on Sunday. Police later arrested Prahlad Das (23) for allegedly raping and murdering the 13-year-old.Late on Monday, a police team took Das for crime scene reconstruction. According to police, while returning from the crime scene, Das snatched a service revolver from a police officer and opened fire at the police team. One policeman had to jump into a pond to save himself, the police said. The police personnel retaliated and shot Das. He was rushed to the Bongaon superspeciality hospital, where he was declared dead. His body has been sent for post-mortem.Bengal minister and former state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said the encounter will instil fear among criminals. “It happened in South 24 Parganas and now here. Police have to give justice to the victims. Sometimes, police have to do unpleasant tasks,” he said. “Criminals don’t fear easily. This is because of years of no law and order in Bengal. But this will instil fear in the hearts of criminals.”This is the second incident in which a rape-murder accused has been killed in an encounter with police in Bengal since July. On July 8, Prabhas Mondol, the accused in the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, was shot dead in an encounter. Police said Mondol snatched a policeman’s weapon when he was taken for crime scene reconstruction.Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More Tags:encounter death