Karnataka Horror: Accused in Heart-Wrenching Kidnap and Murder Case of 5-Year-Old Girl Shot Dead in Police Encounter

Hubballi, Karnataka — April 13, 2025

Karnataka Horror: In a deeply tragic and emotionally charged case that has sent shockwaves through Karnataka, a 35-year-old man accused of kidnapping and murdering a five-year-old girl in Hubballi was shot dead in a police encounter on Sunday. The accused, identified as Ritesh Kumar, a native of Bihar, was reportedly attempting to escape custody when the fatal encounter occurred.

The incident unfolded under the Ashok Nagar police station limits, where Ritesh had allegedly lured the little girl while she was accompanying her mother to work. The child’s mother, a housemaid and part-time beauty parlour assistant, had taken her daughter along to a home she was working at. It was from there that the child went missing — a disappearance that led to desperate searches and rising dread.

The search ended in heartbreak when the girl’s lifeless body was discovered in the bathroom of an abandoned building directly across from the house where her mother was employed. Though she was rushed to a hospital, doctors declared her brought dead. The exact cause of death is still being investigated, and authorities have not yet confirmed if the child was sexually assaulted. A detailed medical examination is underway.

According to Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar, Ritesh tried to flee while being escorted by officers, leading to a dramatic confrontation. In the attempt to recapture him, three police personnel sustained injuries. In response to the accused’s escape attempt, officers opened fire, resulting in his death on the spot.

The young victim hailed from the Koppal district, and her brutal death has left both her family and the wider community reeling in sorrow. Locals have been pouring out their grief and anger, calling for swift justice and better safety measures for children in urban areas.

Authorities have assured the public that no stone will be left unturned in the investigation. “This is a tragic and unacceptable crime. We are doing everything in our power to ensure justice for the little girl and her family,” said Commissioner Shashi Kumar.

As the investigation continues, the heartbroken cries of a family who lost their child, and a community shaken by the horror, serve as a grim reminder of the vulnerabilities children face. It’s a case that has stirred the conscience of a nation — one that demands justice, and more importantly, change.