North 24 Parganas, Oct. 27 -- Prahlad Das, the prime accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Gaighata in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, was killed in a police encounter during crime scene reconstruction in the early hours of Tuesday, according to police sources.

Police had taken Das to the spot to reconstruct the crime when he allegedly snatched a service revolver from a police officer and opened fire. A police personnel was reportedly injured in the firing, following which the police returned fire in self-defence, police sources said.

Das sustained gunshot injuries and was taken to Chandpara Rural Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, according to the account provided by sources. The police have ...