Bengaluru, April 14 The Karnataka government has ordered an enquiry into the police encounter of the accused in a minor girl's sexual assault and murder case reported from Hubballi.
The government has also stated that it will examine the involvement of migrant workers in crimes occurring across the state.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said, "A ghastly incident occurred in Hubballi city. A five-year-old girl was kidnapped and murdered by a man from Bihar."
"He was apprehended shortly afterwards. When the police took him to his residence, the accused suddenly attacked them, and in self-defence, the police opened fire. He was immediately taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries," HM Parameshwara stated.
"I have directed senior officers to investigate the matter. The facts will emerge after the probe," he added.
When questioned about the involvement of migrant workers in crimes within the state, HM Parameshwara responded, "Migrant labourers come to Karnataka in large numbers from all parts of the country. Bengaluru city is rapidly developing, and so is the state. We have observed their involvement in several criminal activities, and we definitely need to take note of this."
"It appears they do not understand the culture of the land and the people here, and end up indulging in such acts. In many cases, the role of outsiders is evident. I will speak with the Labour Department and officials concerned to see what measures can be taken," he said.
"We cannot prevent them from coming here, but we can implement certain measures. I will discuss this with the Labour Minister," HM Parameshwara stated.
"We will convene a joint meeting. In many places, construction workers are getting involved in crimes. We will hold a meeting and make a decision," he added in response to a question.
The Karnataka Police shot dead the accused involved in the kidnapping, alleged sexual assault and murder of a minor girl reported from Hubballi city on Sunday.
The accused has been identified as 35-year-old Ritesh Kumar from Patna in Bihar.
However, the police claimed that the identity of the accused is yet to be ascertained.
The Police Commissioner for Hubballi and Dharwad, N. Shashikumar, said: "The accused was shot at because he was facing charges of raping a five-year-old girl and the accused could not be allowed to escape. At the same time, the police had to protect themselves."
"The police used minimum force, and the accused was hit by one bullet. The police officers immediately shifted him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries."
"We got a lead from the CCTV footage and local inputs, and the accused was taken into custody. During the investigation, the accused was questioned for three hours. He confessed to the crime but did not provide correct information regarding his identity," Shashikumar said.
"The accused claimed to be 35-year-old Ritesh Kumar from Patna, Bihar, and said he had been away from his house for four years. He had come to Hubballi three months ago," he added.
"He was taken to an abandoned house where he claimed to be residing, for inspection by the police. At that time, the accused suddenly attacked the police officers. He tried to pelt stones at the police vehicle and the cops and started to run," he said.
"At that juncture, Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Annapurna fired a warning shot in the air and asked the accused to stop. When the accused continued pelting stones, the woman police officer opened fire on him," Shashikumar added.
"One bullet hit him (the accused) in the leg, and another hit him in the back. After he collapsed, he was shifted to the hospital to save his life, but he succumbed to his injuries," he said.
"PSI Annapurna, our staff Yashwant, and Veeresh are injured," he added.
The shocking incident came to light on Sunday.
According to the police, the accused took the girl to a shed and attempted to assault her. When the girl screamed for help, locals rushed towards the spot.
Upon noticing the approaching people, the accused allegedly strangulated the girl and managed to escape.
N. Shashikumar earlier said that the girl's parents were from Koppal. Her father works as a painter, and her mother is employed as a house help.
He also said the mother had taken the victim with her to work. While she was working, the accused allegedly took the girl away.
Later, the girl's body was discovered in a shed.
It is yet to be determined if the girl was sexually assaulted, an official said, adding that a medical examination will ascertain the facts.
Meanwhile, the girl's parents staged a protest in front of the Ashokanagar police station, condemning the incident and demanding strict action against the accused.
Minister for Labour Santhosh Lad visited the hospital on Monday in Hubballi and also spoke to the parents of the girl.
"This incident had made civilised society bow its head. It's an inhuman act. The victim is a little baby. I couldn't even bear to see her body. The post mortem report will confirm whether she was sexually assault," he said.
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