Gaighata encounter: Can police shootings deliver justice? What happens to the case afterwards?

The death of a suspect accused of raping and murdering a school girl in Gaighata, North 24 Parganas, has made police encounters a hot topic once again in West Bengal. During police action on the 26th October 2026, the suspect Prahlad Das (23), was shot and later pronounced dead in hospital.

This is similar to the case of Prabhas Mondal in July who died after police said he took a service weapon during a crime scene re-enactment and fired upon them. This is the second case that has occurred in West Bengal where a suspect has died after being shot by police. What exactly happened in Gaighata, how does this fit into the history of encounter killings in West Bengal, and how does the law define what happens?

Gaighata Case

A class XI student went missing during a musical night out at around the 24th October. Her body was found in the back garden of a relative's house in the Gaighata area.

Police made initial findings that indicated rape and murder. Prahlad Das (23) was arrested during the investigation after a complaint from the victim's family.

It has been reported that the exact age of the victim has been unclear however it has been confirmed that she was a class XI student.

Police said that on the 26th October, Monday, they took Das to the crime scene to re-enact the incident. They claimed he grabbed a service revolver from a police officer and began shooting as they were leaving. One officer jumped into a pond to avoid being hit.

They claimed that they fired back and injured Das. He was then taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

What happened?

The recent case of Baruipur is similar as it has caused comparisons to Prabhas Mondal's death in a police encounter on the 8th July 2026. Mondal was one of the suspects in the r*pe and murder of an 11-year-old girl.

Police said that during a re-enactment Mondal grabbed a police weapon and began shooting. Police then shot Mondal and he was pronounced dead in hospital.

This led to a public interest litigation case being filed at the Calcutta High Court. The petitioners doubted police's claim and expressed concerns over security during the re-enactment. However the state denied any claims the police created a fake encounter.

The High Court ordered that the state government submit affidavits to address the claims and provide an update on the progress of the investigation. They also emphasised that evidence such as CCTV must be protected. They expect the investigation to be concluded quickly but with quality.

This does not prove that the encounter was fake however it brings into question who is telling the truth. The most recent news report on this case was in September so if there has been any orders since then they should be looked up.

Although the police said similar things happened in both cases, the police claims don't mean it was the same situation. Each case should be looked at individually.

Brief history of encounter killings in West Bengal

Encounter killings have a long history in West Bengal due to the Naxalite movement in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

The movement started due to radical left politics and resulted in an armed uprising in parts of India. Police operations occurred in West Bengal to try and stop suspected Naxalite activists. This then led to claims of brutality during detention and unlawful killings.

This affected Bengali literature and films. For example Mahasweta Devi wrote Hajar Churashir Maa. This shows the impact the political violence had on individuals through the eyes of a mother who lost her son.

Whilst it is important to consider the history of the Naxalite movement, the situations are very different now. The police operations during the Naxalite movement were due to criminals whereas the encounters now are with criminal suspects.

Overall the situation is the same. What evidence proves the circumstances of the death and how is it independently investigated?

Indian law on Police encounters

Police officers cannot kill suspects freely. They must have a reason to use force according to the law and this includes having legitimate reasons to defend themselves. However this does not mean they are allowed to kill.

In the case of People's Union for Civil Liberties v State of Maharashtra (2014) the Supreme Court ruled that police must follow certain procedures if a suspect dies in an encounter. This includes collecting information, an independent investigation, a magistrate enquiry and protecting evidence.

This ensures that police aren't just taking their word for it.

The National Human Rights Commission also have procedures for deaths during police action. This includes reporting, a magistrate enquiry and submission of relevant documents.

This is important as the shooting must be proven to have been lawful. The events that occurred, forensics, witness statements and other evidence could all be relevant.

The Gaighata case needs to be looked into using the appropriate investigation procedures to ensure that we know the circumstances of the girl's death and Das's shooting. We shouldn't assume it was a fake encounter or justified shooting without enough evidence.

Can justice be served in an encounter?

When an accused is linked to an alleged crime against a child there can often be pressure for quick action and punishment. However it is important to look into the facts.

During a criminal trial evidence can be presented, witnesses questioned and the defence can argue their case. A conviction can only be given if the court believe the prosecution have proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.

If the accused dies before trial a guilty verdict cannot be given. However the investigators may want to know the full circumstances of the original crime and if others were involved.

An encounter doesn't mean the police have done a thorough investigation. Just because a suspect has died doesn't mean the police have acted lawfully, proved the original claims or fully investigated the crime.

This doesn't mean the alleged crime wasn't serious or that the family of the victim don't deserve justice. They just need to investigate the original crime.

What happens next?

We need to find out what really happened to the girl and what evidence there is surrounding Das's shooting. The post mortem results, forensics, witness statements and police investigation will all be important.

If there is any official announcements about an independent investigation, results or further legal action this should be included.

The Gaighata encounter has brought two important issues together. It is important to investigate a serious alleged crime and also ensure the death due to police action is looked into.

Both situations need to be investigated to find out the facts. Just because the original crime was serious doesn't mean the shooting was lawful. Likewise just because there are questions around police actions doesn't mean the dead suspect was guilty.

Ultimately it comes down to the evidence and what the law says.