A 28-year-old man accused of raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl in northeast Delhi's Dayalpur area was arrested on Tuesday after an encounter with the police near Hapur in Uttar Pradesh, officials said. The accused, a resident of Nehru Vihar, was being brought back to Delhi when he attempted to flee custody. According to police, he attacked a constable with a hidden blade during the escape bid and was shot in the leg before being overpowered.
“He had asked to relieve himself near Jheel Park in the Welcome area,” a police officer said. “As he stepped out of the vehicle, he suddenly pulled out a blade and slashed constable Amit Mann twice in the chest before trying to escape.”
Despite the warning shots, the accused continued to run. Police then fired a round that hit his leg and apprehended him. Both the injured constable and the accused were taken to hospital for treatment. A separate case has been registered at Welcome police station for the attack on the constable. The arrest was made with the help of CCTV footage and technical surveillance, police added.
The shocking rape and murder of nine-year-old girl
The case relates to the alleged rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl, also from Nehru Vihar, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase at a neighbour’s house in Dayalpur on Saturday evening. The incident triggered protests by local residents and the victim’s family.
According to the family, the girl had gone to deliver ice to a nearby relative around 7 pm but did not return. A search led to the discovery of her body inside a suitcase. She was rushed to a local clinic and later referred to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital in Shastri Park, where she was declared brought dead.
The Delhi Police had formed multiple teams to trace the accused, leading to his eventual arrest in Uttar Pradesh.
(With inputs from PTI)
