Human rights body hauls Karnataka over minor's rape, encounter death of accused

India Today

30-04-2025

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Karnataka government and the state's Director General of Police (DGP) following media reports alleging the abduction, rape, and murder of a minor girl, and the subsequent death of the accused in a police encounter in Hubballi. In a statement released on Wednesday, the NHRC said it had taken suo motu cognisance of the reports, which claimed the incident occurred on April 14. The Commission said it was seeking a detailed report within four weeks from the Chief Secretary and the state's police chief. The report is expected to include the post-mortem examination and magisterial inquiry reports of both the deceased minor and the accused. advertisement'The contents of the news report, if true, indicate a serious violation of the human rights of the victim, a minor girl, and the arrested suspected perpetrator, killed in an alleged encounter,' the Commission said.
According to the report cited by the NHRC, people gathered in protest outside the Ashok Nagar police station after the girl's body was found, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. The accused was reportedly apprehended within hours of the incident. However, while being taken for questioning, he allegedly attempted to attack the police, leading to gunshot injuries that resulted in his death. The case pertains to the death of a five-year-old girl who was strangled to death after an attempted rape in Karnataka's Hubballi. The accused, Ritesh Kumar from Bihar, lured the child into a shed and tried to sexually assault her. When locals heard the child scream, they rushed to the scene, but by then, Ritesh had strangled her and fled. He was later identified through CCTV footage that showed him carrying the girl away while she was playing in front of her house.advertisementPolice arrested Ritesh and booked him under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and for murder. During questioning, Ritesh reportedly confessed to the crime. According to Hubballi Police Commissioner Shashi Kumar, the accused attacked police officers with stones when taken to his place of residence to retrieve documents and verify his identity. A woman sub-inspector fired a warning shot in the air, and when he did not stop, multiple rounds were fired. He sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and back and later died at the hospital.One sub-inspector and two police personnel were also injured in the altercation and are receiving treatment. Police said Ritesh had been living in Hubballi for nearly three months, working at construction sites and hotels, and had been away from his native Patna for several years. A team has been sent to Bihar to gather more information on his background.The NHRC has stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the handling of such serious incidents, especially when they involve the custodial death of an accused and the rights of a child victim.
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