Hubballi Encounter: Police Release Photo of Bihar Labourer Ritesh Kumar, Accused of Killing 5-Year-Old Girl

The police in Hubballi have released the photo of Ritesh Kumar, the Bihar migrant labourer who was killed in a police encounter on Sunday. Ritesh Kumar, a 35-year-old native of Patna, was accused of murdering a five-year-old girl in Hubballi, and the police suspect that she may have been sexually assaulted before her death. However, authorities are awaiting post-mortem reports for confirmation.

N Shashi Kumar, the Commissioner of Police for Hubballi-Dharwad city, stated that Ritesh Kumar was shot after attempting to attack police officers while trying to escape. Police sub-inspector Annapurna then shot him in the leg and back during the confrontation. Kumar was rushed to Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute-Hubballi, where he was declared "brought dead."

According to the police, Ritesh Kumar had been working as a labourer in Hubballi for the last two to three months. On Sunday morning, he allegedly lured the girl away from her mother, who works as a housemaid. The mother had brought her daughter to the house where she worked, and the child was playing outside when Ritesh Kumar took her with him, offering chocolates.

When the mother realised her daughter was missing, she immediately raised an alarm. Local residents joined in the search and eventually found the child's body in the toilet a desolate area in Adhyapaka Nagar, Hubballi.

The news of the girl's tragic death spread quickly, leading to protests by residents demanding justice. Meanwhile, CCTV footage of Ritesh Kumar carrying the child away from the area went viral on social media, adding to the public outcry.

Ritesh Kumar, accused of assaulting a minor, was arrested on April 13 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. While being transported for further questioning at Rayanal Bridge, Kumar allegedly attacked police officers and attempted to escape, leading to police firing at him. He was declared dead at KMC-RI Hospital.

The Karnataka High Court directed the state government to conduct a post-mortem following Supreme Court guidelines for deaths caused by police action. The court ordered the procedure to be filmed and body samples preserved for investigation.

The body of Kumar will be buried to ensure its availability for further investigation. Legal experts will be consulted before any further action is taken.

"While the post-mortem has been completed, we are now attempting to locate his family members or acquaintances," said Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar. "Even if relatives come in two or three months, we will inform them accordingly. We are following the Supreme Court's directives and consulting legal experts before deciding on further action regarding the body," he added.