Rape accused held after encounter in UP district

Ambedkar Nagar, Dec 5 (IANS) A man has been arrested for allegedly raping a minor in Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar, police said on Tuesday.

According to officials, the accused was arrested after a late-night gunfight on Monday.

The accused, identified as Asgar Ali, a resident of Adhiyara police station, was injured in the exchange of fire and has been admitted to the district hospital.

Ali had been on the run since an FIR was filed against him on Sunday based on a complaint alleging the rape of a minor girl in the village of Adhiriya.

Acting on a tip-off, the police team spotted the suspect near Mirpur Bhatta around 10:20 PM on Monday.

When police tried to stop him, Ali opened fire on the police, injuring one officer. In self-defence, the police retaliated, injuring the accused in the leg.

“When the police team laid siege, the suspect went near Mirpur Bhatta and started firing at the police team to kill the personnel. After a policeman got injured during the firing, the police team retaliated in self-defence, in which the accused got injured by a bullet in his leg and fell on the spot. He was taken into police custody by the police team,” said an official.

During interrogation, Ali confessed to his crime and a 315-bore pistol with one live and one empty cartridge was recovered from his possession.

The injured accused and the policeman were sent to District Hospital Ambedkar Nagar for first aid and other legal proceedings are underway.

–IANS

amita/svn