Minor raped in Sonbhadra, accused tried to escape with police rifle, shot at

VARANASI: An 11-year-old girl was raped in

Sonbhadra

on Wednesday late afternoon. Police responded swiftly to the complaint and arrested one Manzar Khan on Wednesday night. However, when police took Manzar to the spot where he had hidden the clothes he wore at the time of the incident, he tried to snatch away the rifle of a police constable and escape after opening fire. He was shot in the leg and arrested again by the police in retaliatory action on Thursday early morning.
Providing details of the action on Thursday, CO Pipari Amit Kumar said that on Wednesday evening, a woman alerted the police that her 11-year-old granddaughter was being raped by one Manzar Khan when she raided the place. Before the woman and her neighbours could nab him, Manzar fled the scene. CO added that, taking note of her complaint, Pipari police lodged an FIR and succeeded in arresting the accused that night.
When questioned about the clothes he was wearing during the incident, he initially misled the police. After being questioned throughout the night, he divulged the name of the forest where he dumped those clothes. He said that when police took him there to retrieve the clothes, Manzar attempted to escape by snatching the rifle of a constable and fleeing towards the forest after opening fire on the police team.

This led to counter-firing by the police, during which he was shot in the leg. CO added that the injured Manzar was admitted to the hospital for treatment, and further legal proceedings are underway.
During the initial investigation by the police, it came to light that an elderly woman brought her 11-year-old granddaughter to live with her four months ago. Since then, the girl was staying with her. On Wednesday evening, she couldn’t find her granddaughter, so she, along with other family members, started searching. In the meantime, they heard the screams of the girl from a nearby house. When they reached there and knocked on the door, they alleged that Manzar of Renukoot opened the door and fled, adjusting his dishevelled clothes.
Upon entering the room, they found the girl crying in a disrobed condition. She revealed that Manzar covered her mouth and assaulted her. After this, they alerted Pipari police. The girl was sent for a medical examination.