Kolkata, July 8 -- Even before the law could decide his fate, Prabhas Mondal, an accused in the Baruipur teenager's rape and murder, had already been disowned by his own family following his death in a midnight encounter by the police when he allegedly attempted to flee while opening fire. His mother refused to claim his body, saying he "got the result for his conduct", while his wife said he had brought his fate upon himself.

The encounter, which came amid widespread public outrage demanding capital punishment for the accused, has sparked a major controversy. But at Prabhas's home, there was neither mourning nor anger. Instead, his family publicly distanced themselves from him, saying he alone was responsible for his fate.

Standing outside her house on Wednesday, Prabhas's mother, Sandhya Mondal, said she had neither sorrow nor regret over her son's death. "He got the result for his conduct. I have no regret or sorrow for his death. Neither I nor anyone else from our family will go to collect his body. Let the authorities do whatever they wish to do with the body," she said.

His wife, Champa Mondal, echoed the same sentiment, recounting the abuse she allegedly suffered after their marriage and saying she could not deny the allegations against him.

"I cannot say that he did not commit the crime. I saw his real behaviour right after our marriage. I have been living with him through immense torture and abuse. I accept that he did it. He did wrong, he committed an absolute crime, and he got shot. There is nothing more to say," she said.

Asked whether she would receive her husband's body, Champa replied, "It will be decided by his family."

The encounter also drew strong reactions from survivors' rights campaigners. Mousumi Kayal, one of the prominent faces of the Kamduni movement against rape, said she was "extremely happy from the heart" after hearing about the incident, asserting that such stern measures were necessary to curb crimes against women in the state. While maintaining that police action was essential so that "rapists" could not harm any more women, Kayal also said, "The investigation must be conducted, their confessions must be taken, and then they should be encountered. This is justice. This is the true punishment for rapists."

The encounter also struck a chord with another family still waiting for justice.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ratna Debnath, the mother of the Post Graduate Trainee (PGT) doctor who was raped and murdered inside the RG Kar Hospital seminar room, criticised former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee without naming her. She said: "If the former Chief Minister had taken such a step, my daughter would have gotten justice. She always used to safeguard the criminals. An 11-year-old child (Baruipur case) did not even get the chance to see the world or receive an education. Our Chief Minister has kept his word. I am also feeling that I will get justice."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.