Five-year-old girl kidnapped and murdered in Karnataka; accused killed in encounter

BENGALURU: Police say the accused in the kidnapping and murder case of a five-year-old girl in Hubballi, Karnataka, was killed in an encounter. The incident took place under the Ashok Nagar police station limits on Sunday. The girl was kidnapped and murdered by the accused in an empty building. Reports also suggest that the child was sexually assaulted.

The incident led to widespread protests in the area. During the ongoing investigation, the police confirmed that the accused was killed in an encounter while medical examinations were still being conducted. A policeman suffered injuries during the encounter.

The accused, identified as Nitesh Kumar from Patna, attacked the police after his arrest. Despite warnings, he attempted to escape and caused damage to a police vehicle. In response, the police fired two rounds of gunfire. The accused was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead by the doctors, as stated by the police chief.

The child’s family hails from Koppal district. Her mother works as a housekeeper, and her father is a painter.