Gaighata Encounter Controversy deepens as Prahlad Das’s mother questions the police account of the fatal shooting, seeks justice and demands compensation following her son’s death.
Qalam Times News Network
Kolkata, October 28, 2026
The Controversy has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the death of Prahlad Das, who was accused of raping and murdering a 17-year-old girl in Gaighata, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. His mother, Rekha Das, has challenged the police version of the fatal shooting and demanded compensation for her family. She argues that her son’s death must be investigated and that the circumstances in which he was shot should be explained clearly.
According to Rekha Das, her son’s hands were tied when police brought him to their home late on Monday night as part of an alleged crime-scene reconstruction. She has questioned how he could have seized a police firearm and opened fire if his hands were restrained. Police, however, have claimed that Prahlad snatched a weapon from an officer during the journey back from the reconstruction and fired several rounds. The two accounts raise questions that can only be resolved through an impartial examination of the evidence.
Gaighata Encounter : Mother Questions Police Version as Family Seeks Justice
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Rekha Das said her family had wanted the law to take its course if the allegations against her son were proved. She maintained that relatives had repeatedly approached the police and sought action in the case. However, she said the circumstances of his death remained difficult for the family to accept.
“My son has been killed, just as the girl was killed. We want compensation,” she said, expressing her anguish over the deaths.
Rekha questioned the police claim that Prahlad had managed to take an officer’s pistol and fire while in custody. She recalled that when he was brought home at around 2 a.m., his hands were tied and several police officers accompanied him. She asked how he could have taken out a weapon and fired under those circumstances.
Her questions do not, by themselves, establish what happened during the incident. However, the allegations underline the need for a clear account of the sequence of events, including the handling of the accused, the circumstances in which the firearm was allegedly taken, and the evidence supporting the police claim of self-defence.
The family also described Prahlad as a quiet person and said they had difficulty believing he could have taken a police officer’s weapon and fired at the team. His mother said she had not suspected that he was involved in serious wrongdoing. She also questioned the nature of his relationship with the girl, asking why she had gone to meet him after receiving a phone call. The circumstances of their relationship, however, remain separate from the allegations of sexual assault and murder, which require evidence-based investigation.
According to local accounts, Prahlad had studied up to the second year at Gobardanga Hindu College. His family said he had previously spoken about establishing a home before getting married. After his death and the completion of his funeral, his mother said she had become physically and emotionally unwell.
Prahlad’s father, Ramprasad Das, also expressed grief after receiving his son’s body following the post-mortem examination at Barasat Medical College. He acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations against his son but questioned whether the police could have handled the situation differently.
He said that if Prahlad had committed such a grave crime, he should have faced punishment through the courts, potentially including life imprisonment if convicted. He said the family was struggling to accept his death in a police shooting.
The case began on Saturday, when a 17-year-old girl from the Gaighata police station area went to a local musical programme near her home. Family members and friends were also present at the event, which continued late into the night.
According to her family, the girl received a phone call at around 11:30 p.m. and left the programme. She did not return home. Her relatives searched for her through the night, and her body was found on Sunday morning. The family alleged that she had been sexually assaulted and murdered.
Police arrested Prahlad on Sunday in connection with the case. He was reportedly related to the girl’s family. The allegations against him were serious, and the investigation was intended to establish what had happened to the teenager and who was responsible.
The subsequent police shooting has now become a separate matter of public concern. The seriousness of the original crime does not remove the need to examine the circumstances of a death in police custody or during a police operation.
Gaighata Encounter : Police Claim Prahlad Snatched a Weapon and Opened Fire
According to the police account, officers were returning after reconstructing the alleged crime when the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday. Police said that while the vehicle was near the Baidyabati area, Prahlad asked them to stop so that he could urinate.
The police allege that he then seized a firearm from an officer and fired three rounds. One bullet reportedly struck the police vehicle. Officers attempted to protect themselves during the incident, and one police personnel was injured. Another officer reportedly jumped into a roadside waterbody.
Police said the team subsequently fired four rounds in self-defence, one of which struck Prahlad. He was taken to Chandpara Rural Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The injured police officer also received initial medical treatment at the hospital.
These details are based on the account attributed to the police. Rekha Das’s claim that her son’s hands were tied when he was brought home raises questions about the sequence of events and the timing of the alleged weapon seizure. Establishing the exact chronology will be important in determining whether the police account is consistent with the available evidence.
A transparent investigation should examine witness statements, medical and post-mortem findings, firearm records, ballistic evidence, the injuries sustained by the accused and police personnel, and any available video footage or other documentation. The legality of the use of force should be assessed on the basis of evidence and applicable law, rather than assumptions about guilt or innocence.
The case therefore involves two grave issues: the investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a teenager, and the circumstances in which the accused died during a police operation. Justice for the girl and accountability for the fatal shooting are not mutually exclusive. Both matters deserve careful and impartial scrutiny.
Rekha Das has demanded compensation and answers about her son’s death. Whether compensation is payable, and what further legal action may follow, will depend on the relevant facts, applicable law and findings of the competent authorities.
The Gaighata Encounter Controversy now places the focus on the need for clarity, evidence and due process. The allegations against Prahlad must be assessed through the legal system, while the police account of his death must also withstand independent scrutiny. The public deserves answers based on verifiable evidence, and the families affected by both deaths deserve a process that takes their concerns seriously.
