A man accused of murdering a five-year-old girl in Hubballi, Karnataka, was shot dead by police on Sunday, April 13, while allegedly attempting to flee during an investigation, police claimed. Police justified the killing calling it an act of “self-defence.”
The accused, identified as Ritesh Kumar, a 26-year-old labourer from Patna, Bihar, was arrested in connection with the brutal killing of the minor, whose body was found in an under-construction building.
According to Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar, the accused was being taken to his place of residence for identity verification when he attacked the accompanying officers by pelting stones in a bid to escape. "The police had to open fire in self-defence. He was shot in the leg and then in the back when he continued to flee," the Commissioner said. Ritesh was conscious after the shooting and was taken to KMC-RI Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The incident also left a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) and two other officers injured. They are currently undergoing treatment at KIMS Hospital.
Ritesh was accused of sexually assaulting and murdering the child, sparking wide outrage. CCTV footage from Adhyapak Nagar reportedly captured the accused luring the girl while she was playing near her mother's workplace. Her body was later discovered in an unused toilet of an under-construction site after a frantic search by family members and neighbours.
The child’s parents, originally from Koppal district, had moved to Hubballi temporarily for work. Her mother works as a domestic worker while her father is a painter. Following the discovery of her body, local residents—especially women—gathered in protest outside Ashok Nagar police station, demanding prompt justice. Some protesters demanded the accused be handed over to them, while others called for stringent measures against migrant workers, alleging rising incidents of serious crimes.
Police Commissioner Shashi Kumar urged the public not to generalize the actions of one individual to an entire community. “The demand for throwing out migrant workers is unfair. It has not yet been conclusively established whether the accused was a migrant worker or not,” he said.
A case had been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for murder, as well as for the assault on police officers. Authorities have ordered a post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death and confirm if the child was sexually assaulted. “No information for now. Cause of death and whether there was any kind of assault will all be verified after medical examination,” the Commissioner added.