Sun Apr 13 16:12:07 UTC 2025: ## Suspect in 5-Year-Old’s Murder Killed in Police Encounter
**Hubballi, Karnataka:** A 35-year-old man accused of kidnapping, raping, and murdering a five-year-old girl in Hubballi, Karnataka, was killed in a police encounter today. One police officer sustained injuries during the operation.
Nitesh Kumar, a resident of Patna, Bihar, was apprehended by police earlier today. While being transported to his place of stay for identity verification, he allegedly attacked the police team, damaging a police vehicle and resisting arrest despite a warning shot. Sub-Inspector Annapurna fired two rounds, fatally wounding Kumar. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Kumar faced charges of murder and rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The victim, whose family hails from Koppal district, was found dead in a bathroom after being abducted while her mother worked nearby. Police used CCTV footage to identify and apprehend Kumar.
The incident follows widespread public outrage and protests demanding justice outside the Ashok Nagar police station. The victim’s mother worked as a domestic helper and beauty parlour assistant, while her father is a painter.
First Piper 