A 35-year-old labourer, Ritesh Kumar, accused of kidnapping, attempting to rape, and murdering a five-year-old girl in Karnataka’s Hubballi, was killed in a police encounter on Sunday evening while allegedly attempting to escape custody. The incident, occurring within the Ashok Nagar police station limits, sparked widespread protests, with residents demanding justice for the young victim.

The girl was playing outside a house where her mother worked as a maid when Kumar, a Patna native, reportedly abducted her.

He took her to a nearby shed, where he attempted to assault her. When the girl raised an alarm, locals rushed to intervene, but Kumar allegedly strangled her to death before fleeing. Pursued by residents, he was eventually overpowered and handed to police. The girl was rushed to KMC Hospital and Research Institute (KMC-RI), where doctors declared her dead.

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Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar stated that during interrogation, Kumar became violent, pelting stones at police and attempting to escape.

Sub-Inspector Annapurna fired at his leg and back to subdue him. Though initially conscious, Kumar succumbed to excessive bleeding at KMC-RI. Three officers, including Annapurna, sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at a government facility.

The murder triggered outrage, with residents from Ashok Nagar, Vishweshwar Nagar, and nearby areas staging daylong protests, demanding Kumar’s custody or his encounter. By 6:00 pm, a large crowd blocked the Hubballi-Dharwad road near KMC-RI, burning tyres in anger.

Despite police appeals, protests intensified until Kumar’s death was confirmed, after which they dispersed. The case, registered under murder and POCSO Act charges, remains under investigation to confirm the full details of the crime.

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