Bhopal, Nov 28 A man accused of raping a minor girl in Madhya Pradesh was injured on Friday in a brief police encounter near Kirat Nagar after attempting to escape. The incident occurred when the police vehicle transporting him suffered a punctured tyre.
The accused, identified as Salman, allegedly snatched a police gun and fired at the officers. In response, police shot him in the leg, and he is now receiving treatment at a government hospital in Bhopal.
Speaking to IANS, SP Ashutosh Gupta detailed the sequence of events.
"A six-year-old girl was raped by the accused Salman, who had been absconding. Late last night, following a tip-off, he was arrested. After his arrest, he attempted to escape," SP Gupta said.
"During the escape, he began firing at the police. In self-defence, police also opened fire. He was shot in the leg and is receiving treatment at a nearby hospital."
SP Gupta confirmed that a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against Salman, as well as an additional case for firing upon police officers. The officer added that forces and energy were intensified to search for the accused across different parts of Madhya Pradesh, not limited to Raisen and nearby areas, resulting in his apprehension.
"The accused was known to the minor girl and lived near her home. As of now, the girl’s condition is stable," he added.
The six-year-old girl was raped earlier this week in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh. The crime triggered widespread anger, leading to protests on Monday demanding the immediate arrest of the 23-year-old accused. The protests, which included local road blockades and the involvement of Bhojpur MLA Sudhir Verma, grew tense, forcing police to use a lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav criticised the police's failure to make an immediate arrest. On Tuesday night, he ordered the removal of Raisen District Superintendent of Police (SP) Pankaj Pandey. Later that night, Chief Minister Yadav chaired a high-level emergency meeting on law and order at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Bhopal, where he expressed dissatisfaction with the police’s handling of the case.
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