They said the accused fled the spot after being caught in the act by the victim’s family and later died by suicide by hanging himself from a tree.

Bareilly (UP): A shocking incident has come to the from a village in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh where a 60-year-old man died by suicide after he allegedly raped five-year-old girl. According to the police, the accused, identified as Sher Mohammad, raped the child and fled the scene after being caught in the act by the victim’s family.

The incident took place in a village under the Faridpur police station limits, an official said, adding that a case was was registered against the accused under sections of rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Giving details citing a complaint filed by the girl’s family members, the official said the victim was playing outside her house when she was lured by the accused to his home where he raped her.

When the girl did not return home for long, the family members began searching for her and eventually found her inside Sher Mohammad’s house where they witnessed him forcing himself on the child.

They said the accused fled the spot after being caught in the act by the victim’s family and later died by suicide by hanging himself from a tree.

Police said the girl was found drenched in blood and was rushed to the the district hospital where doctor’s confirmed that the minor had been brutally raped. The child’s condition is now stable, they said.

An FIR was registered against the accused based on a complaint filed by the girl’s mother, they said.

A senior official said the accused was later found hanging from a tree when the police launched a search operation to find him.

Prima facie it appears that accused Sher Mohammad, fearing the police action or out of remorse and guilt of his actions, hanged himself from the tree, he said.

The body was sent for post-mortem, police said.

(With PTI inputs)