Also, a bulldozer was deployed to demolish the boundary wall and gate of his brother-in-law’s house amid public outrage over the crime on Monday. The police arrested the main accused in the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Muskara village in Hamirpur after an encounter in which he was shot in both legs late Sunday night.
The accused, identified as Heeralal, 35, allegedly opened fire on a police team with a country-made pistol when he was taken to the crime scene late on Sunday night for evidence collection. The girl’s body was found late on Sunday in a pigeon pea field near the canal on the Gahrauli road, around 800 metres from her home. Police retaliated, shooting him in both legs. He was initially taken to the Muskara community health centre and later shifted to the district hospital. Heeralal was subsequently arrested. Several police vehicles, including those belonging to circle officer of Rath, had their window panes smashed during the confrontation. SP Mrigank Shekhar Pathak reached the spot with personnel from several police stations and PAC to bring the situation under control.
Police said she had been sexually assaulted and strangled.
She had gone missing earlier that evening. Additional SP, Hamirpur, AK Verma said an FIR had been registered late on Sunday night against Heeralal and his brother-in-law Govind Ahirwar under sections relating to gang rape and murder. The incident had triggered widespread anger, with a crowd confronting police late on Sunday night. Police and PAC personnel remained deployed across Muskara and along the Gahrauli road on Monday as tension continued.
