Hubballi rape and murder: After High Court & SHRC, now NHRC seeks report

Dharwad: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has registered a suo motu case against the kidnap, rape and murder of a minor girl and also against the shootout by the police on the accused reported in Hubballi fortnight ago.

The NHRC has issued notices to the chief secretary and DGP to furnish a detailed report on both incidents within four weeks. The kidnap, alleged rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in one of an upscale localities in Hubballi on April 14, had sent shock waves among the people.

The accused Ritesh Kumar was chased the locals and was later caught, and handed over to the police.

The incident took a new turn when the police took the accused to an abandoned house near Tarihal Industrial Area, where he reportedly stayed, to gather further information about him.

But, Ritesh attacked the police with stones and tried to escape. PSI Annapoorna shot in the leg of the accused and later on his back when he was on the run. After two bullets were shot at him, Ritesh reportedly collapsed. He was rushed to hospital where he died due to excessive bleeding. Police Commissioner N Shashikumar had justified the act by the police, saying it was in self-defence and not an encounter.

In the meantime, a PIL has been filed at the High Court against the accused’s death in a police shootout. The court has already held two hearings, with the final verdict awaited.

On April 28, State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Chairman Sham Bhat visited Hubballi to inquire into the incident. He said, SHRC has registered a case and is inquiring whether the human rights of the accused Ritesh Kumar was violated. The SHRC will be filing report within two months.

Now, the NHRC has stepped into the incident and has sought a report from the government within four weeks, including the postmortem examination and magisterial inquiry.

Police sources said that the magisterial inquiry is yet to be held as PSI Annapoorna and three other constables are recovering from injuries inflicted on them by the accused.