In a chilling incident in Hubballi, Karnataka, CCTV footage revealed the disturbing moments when a five-year-old girl was lured away from her home by a man, later identified as Ritesh Kumar, who is now accused of attempting to rape and ultimately murdering the child. The footage has been pivotal to the ongoing investigation, capturing the man carrying the girl while she was playing outside her house.
According to the police, Ritesh took the girl to a nearby shed, where he attempted to assault her. Hearing the girl’s screams, locals rushed to the scene. However, by the time they arrived, Ritesh had already strangled the child to death and fled the location.
Following the tragic incident, Hubballi Police Commissioner Shashi Kumar explained that Ritesh was taken to his residence for identification and document verification. During this process, he turned violent, attempting to escape. "He provided very little information and could not conclusively establish his identity," Kumar said.
The situation escalated when Ritesh allegedly began throwing stones at the police officers present. In response, Sub-Inspector Annapurna fired a warning shot into the air. When Ritesh continued his violent behavior and attempted to flee, two to three rounds were fired. One bullet struck his leg, while another hit his back, ultimately stopping his escape attempt. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors later declared him dead.
During the altercation, a sub-inspector and two other police officers sustained injuries. They are currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
Ritesh, who had been residing in Hubballi for about three months, reportedly worked at construction sites and hotels. Police revealed that he had been away from his hometown of Patna for several years, moving frequently for work. Ritesh allegedly confessed to the crime during interrogation.
A police team has been dispatched to Patna to investigate further into his background and gather additional information about his history.
