The main accused in the alleged rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Greater Noida was shot dead by police during an exchange of fire while investigators were recreating the sequence of events, officials said.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon, hours after the girl’s body was recovered from an area near a pond in Haldoni village.
According to police, the accused, a 40-year-old man, allegedly opened fire at the police team with a pistol that he had concealed near the D-Park police outpost. One police personnel was injured in the exchange.
How the police encounter unfolded
Police said the accused was identified with the help of CCTV footage and other information gathered during the investigation.
After being taken into custody for questioning, he allegedly told investigators that he had hidden the weapon used in the crime in bushes near the police outpost.
However, when police took him to the location to recover the weapon, he allegedly pushed police personnel and opened fire using the concealed pistol.
“One policeman was injured in the firing. In retaliatory firing in self-defence, the accused was also injured,” DCP (Central Noida) Shailendra Kumar Singh said, according to the report.
Both the accused and the injured constable were rushed to hospital. The accused later died during treatment, while the injured police personnel remained under treatment.
Six-year-old girl found dead near village pond
The girl had gone missing on Friday afternoon, following which her family approached the Ecotech-3 police station and filed a missing-person complaint.
Police said five teams were formed to trace the child and an intensive search operation was launched. Her body was subsequently recovered near a pond in the village on Saturday morning.
The girl’s family, who run a sweet shop in the area, had reported her missing after she disappeared.
Police suspect that the girl was abducted and sexually assaulted at the house of another suspect before being murdered. Investigators are also examining the possible role of an extended family member.
“We believe the rape and murder took place at the house of the other suspect,” additional DCP (Central Noida) Swatantra Kumar Singh told Hindustan Times.
CCTV footage under scrutiny
Investigators said CCTV footage and other inputs helped them identify the main suspect.
A purported CCTV video showing a man allegedly following the girl on Friday afternoon has also surfaced on social media. The footage reportedly shows the man later returning with a sack on his back.
However, the authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.
Probe into rape and murder underway
The girl’s body was sent for a post-mortem examination. Police said a panel of doctors has been constituted to conduct the examination and the procedure will be videographed.
A case has been registered under Sections 65 and 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Meanwhile, police said the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death and the role of the other suspect is continuing.
