5-year-old girl abducted and killed in Karnataka's Hubballi; accused shot dead in police encounter

NEW DELHI: The main accused wanted in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a 5-year-old girl in Karnataka's Hubballi, was killed in an encounter on Sunday while allegedly attempting to flee from the cops.

Earlier in the day, a body of a girl was discovered in a tin-roofed abandoned shed, sparking outrage. Hundreds gathered outside the Ashok Nagar police station demanding justice for the child.

A massive manhunt was launched and the accused was identified as 35-year-old Ritesh Kumar from Bihar's Patna.

The encounterLater in the day, based on CCTV footage and inputs from local residents, police traced the accused.

“This morning in Vijayanagara area, within Ashok Nagar limits, the girl’s body was found in an abandoned shed. We identified the accused as Ritesh Kumar. He tried to flee, damaged the police vehicle, assaulted our officers, and pelted stones,” said Commissioner Kumar.

“In self-defence, PSI Annapurna fired warning shots and then shot at the accused, injuring him in the leg and chest,” he added. The man was later declared dead.

Defending police action, Karnataka government chief whip Saleem Ahmed said, “The commissioner has given me the information that the accused tried to hit the lady inspector and in self-defence, she had to fire at him... It is not a failure of law and order. Our police are competent enough to take action, so have they…”

The crimeAccording to Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar, the girl’s mother had taken her along while working in nearby homes in the locality. An unidentified man took the girl away from one of these houses. After a frantic search, she was found unconscious in a bathroom inside a tin-roofed abandoned shed located directly opposite the house where she was last seen.

“She was immediately shifted to the hospital where she was declared brought dead,” the Commissioner said.


The victim’s family hails from Koppal district. Her mother works as a domestic help and beauty parlour assistant, while the father is a painter, officials said.

While reports of sexual assault have emerged, the police have not confirmed it. “No information for now. Cause of death and whether there was any kind of assault will all be verified after medical examination,” Kumar said.

Public outcry and police appealFollowing the gruesome incident, angry residents gathered in large numbers at the Ashok Nagar police station demanding swift justice and answers. Police appealed to the public to maintain calm and let the investigation proceed.


“The complaint is being taken from the girl’s parents. Necessary legal action is underway,” Kumar said.

Investigation underwayAuthorities are still verifying key details. A post-mortem is expected to shed light on the cause of death and whether there was any sexual assault involved.

The identity and background of the accused are also being investigated. “Once the identity is fully established, we’ll ascertain his whereabouts and any past records,” Kumar said.