A toddler girl was raped by a man from her village in Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday evening. The accused was arrested following an encounter with the police.

Uttar Pradesh Rape: In a horrifying incident, a two-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a man from her village in Binawar police station area of Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun district and the accused was arrested in wee hours of Friday night following an encounter with the cops.

According to the police, the crime took place on Thursday evening when the accused took the toddler to a paddy field on the village outskirts where he allegedly raped her.

A senior police officer said after the heinous act, the accused left the child in the field and fled the scene.

“The child was crying which was heard by villagers, who rushed to the spot and found her in a critical condition,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Alok Priyadarshi. The locals then rushed the victim to a district hospital where she narrated the ordeal to her parents, the SSP said.

A complaint was filed by the girl child’s father based on which police began investigation and launched searches to nab the accused, the officer said, adding that the culprit finally located by the cops while searching for suspicious vehicles.

A police team cornered the accused who opened fire which was returned, leading to an encounter in which the suspect sustained an injury in his leg, the officer further said, adding that he was apprehended from Dhauspur road at around 3 AM on early Friday morning.

.@budaunpolice
थाना बिनावर पुलिस द्वारा वांछित (धारा 376 ए भादवि0 व 5(m)/6 पोक्सो एक्ट) का शातिर अभियुक्त पुलिस मुठभेड़ हुआ घायल।
मौके से किया गया गिरफ्तार कब्जे से 01 अदद तमंचा 315 बोर मय एक खोखा व 02 अदद जिंदा कारतूस 315 बोर बरामद ।#UPPolice #budaunpolice@uppolice pic.twitter.com/oN0wJGReXb

— Budaun Police (@budaunpolice) March 8, 2024

“The accused was sent for treatment and arrested,” the SSP said, adding that a police vehicle was damaged in the encounter and another case has been filed against him for it.

Police has registered an FIR against the accused under Indian Penal Code Section 376AB (punishment for rape on woman under twelve years of age) and POCSO Section 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault), the official said.

Further investigation is underway, he said.

(With PTI inputs)