A one-and-a-half-year-old girl died after allegedly being raped by a man who was later shot and wounded during his escape from police custody.
The gruesome incident came to light on Tuesday, June 22, in the Bahraich village of Uttar Pradesh, India.
According to the police, the suspect, who will not be named to protect the identity of the victim, abducted the sleeping toddler and mercilessly raped her inside a school building.
"The toddler was sleeping in an open courtyard on Monday night when the accused (30) picked her up and raped her at a deserted school building nearby," The Times of India quoted Assistant Superintendent of Police (Rural), Ashok Kumar as saying.
The girl's parents along with the villagers began searching for the child the next morning and located her with the pedophile.
"When the parents did not find their girl early morning on Tuesday, a search began and she was found profusely bleeding. The accused, who was also with the victim, was caught by the villagers and handed over to the police," the officer said.
The baby girl was rushed to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to her injuries later in the day.
The sexual predator was shot and wounded by the police which they say happened during his escape attempt while they were taking him to the court.
"While being taken to court in the afternoon for remand, the 30-year-old attacked the police team and tried to escape from the spot," Station House Officer of the area police station, Sanjay Singh said, the news outlet reported.
"Police fired in the air but the accused did not stop and got shot in the leg," the SHO said.
The pedophile was arrested and taken to a medical examiner before being presented in the court for remand, the officer added.
The suspect is facing charges of murder and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
"Charges under the National Security Act will also be invoked against the accused," the ASP said.
In a similar but unrelated incident, Joseph McGowan, a pedophile who was serving a life sentence at South Woods State Prison in Cumberland County, New Jersey, for raping and murdering seven-year-old Joan D’Alessandro, died in prison earlier this month.
The former high school chemistry teacher died behind bars on June 5, nearly 48 years after the alleged incident.
On April 19, 1973, Joan had gone to McGowan’s home to sell girl scout cookies when he raped her before beating and strangling her to death.
