Minor boy's rape-murder in UP: 32-year-old accused killed in police encounter in Hardoi; officer injured

On Wednesday, a 32-year-old fugitive wanted for the abduction, sexual assault, and killing of a young boy was fatally shot during a police shootout in the Mallawan region of Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district.

According to a senior official, the confrontation also resulted in an injury to a Special Operations Group (SOG) member.

The suspect, identified as Mehnoor, was the primary person of interest in the brutal murder of a seven-year-old.

The child’s body had been discovered in a Matiyamau village maize field the previous day.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashok Kumar Meena explained that acting on specific intelligence, a joint unit of local police and the SOG cordoned off the area to intercept the suspect.

"Upon being challenged, the accused opened fire on the police team. In the retaliatory firing, Mehnoor was critically wounded and later died during treatment at the district hospital," the SP added.

During the ensuing exchange of fire, SOG in-charge Rajesh Kumar was struck by a bullet and is currently receiving medical attention at the district hospital.

Police investigators noted that preliminary evidence suggests the victim was kidnapped and raped before being killed.

In a calculated move to sabotage the probe, Mehnoor reportedly used a stolen SIM card to demand ransom from the child's family. This was allegedly an attempt to frame the sexual assault and homicide as a simple kidnapping for financial gain.

Following the recovery of the body, the Inspector General of Police (Lucknow Range) had announced a ₹50,000 bounty for Mehnoor's arrest.

Mehnoor, a resident of Kannauj, was a known career criminal with nearly a dozen active cases across various districts.

At the scene, officers recovered a .32 bore pistol, a .315 bore handmade firearm, a motorcycle, and several cartridges.

Maharashtra: Self-proclaimed healer rapes 13-year-old girl

A 55-year-old self-styled traditional healer has been accused of raping a 13-year-old tribal girl in a forest in Maharashtra’s Palghar district. Police stated on Tuesday that the man allegedly lured the minor into the woods under the pretence of searching for a medicinal herb required for her care.

The assault reportedly took place in the early hours of Monday. Authorities arrested the suspect, a resident of a village in the Vikramgad taluka, at approximately 4 AM on Tuesday. According to Inspector Amar Patil of the Kasa police station, the victim’s elder sister filed the formal complaint.

"On 3 May, the accused visited the residence of the victim. Under the pretext of procuring a medicinal plant for her treatment, he took the complainant, her 19-year-old sister and some of their relatives in a car," Patil said.

The complainant explained that she and the victim had contacted the man on 30 April to obtain herbal remedies for the teenager’s menstrual irregularities. The suspect was locally recognised as a practitioner of traditional medicine.

"Once in the secluded forest area, the accused raped the minor girl and subsequently threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident to anyone," the inspector said, citing the complaint.

The group left Dahanu at roughly 11:30 PM. Around 1 AM, the man stopped the car near the roadside at Charipawan. He told the teenage girl to follow him into the brush to help harvest the specific plant, while ordering the other passengers to wait in the vehicle.

The survivor is currently receiving treatment in a hospital. Investigators noted that the victim’s sister and the daughter of the accused were acquaintances, a connection that had fostered a sense of security between the families.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Sameer Maher confirmed that the accused faces charges under sections 64(1), 65(1), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering rape and criminal intimidation, alongside the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.