Arrested for rape of minor, man attacks cops in bid to escape in UP's Sonbhadra

Varanasi: An 11-year-old girl was raped in Sonbhadra on Wednesday. Police responded swiftly to the complaint and arrested accused Manzar Khan.

When police took him to the spot where he had hidden the clothes he wore at the time of the criminal act, he snatched rifle of a police constable and tried to escape after opening fire. He was shot in the leg and arrested again in retaliatory action on Thursday morning.

Pipari circle officer Amit Kumar said that on Wednesday evening, a woman alerted police that her 11-year-old granddaughter was raped by Manzar Khan. Before the neighbours could help nab him, he fled the scene. Taking note of the complaint, Pipari police lodged FIR and arrested the accused at night. When questioned about clothes he was wearing during the act—which would be used as forensic evidence—he misled the police but finally told them where he dumped those clothes in the forest. He said when police took him there to retrieve the clothes, he attempted to escape by snatching the rifle of a constable and fleeing towards the forest after opening fire at the police team.

In counter-firing by police, he was shot in the leg. He was admitted to the hospital for treatment.

During investigation, it came to light that an elderly woman brought her 11-year-old granddaughter to live with her four months ago. On Wednesday evening, she couldn't find her granddaughter and along with family members, started searching. They heard screams of the girl from a nearby house and when they reached there the accused, resident of Renukoot, opened the door and fled, while donning his clothes.

The girl informed revealed that the accused had gagged and assaulted her. They alerted Pipari police who sent the girl for medical examination.