Lucknow Police Fatally Shoot 21-Year-Old Kidnapping and rape Accused in Encounter; 3-Year-Old Victim Stable
In a dramatic turn of events, police in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, shot dead a 21-year-old man in an early-morning encounter on Friday.
The man, identified as Deepak Verma, was accused of abducting and allegedly assaulting and raping a three-year-old girl near a Metro station on Thursday night.
Authorities confirmed that the child, rescued shortly after the incident, is undergoing treatment and is currently in stable condition at a city hospital.
Child Abducted While Sleeping Beside Her Mother
According to officials, the disturbing incident came to light late Thursday evening when the parents of the young girl lodged a formal complaint at their local police station.
The parents, reportedly living on the streets near a Metro station, told police that their daughter had been abducted and reped while she was sleeping next to her mother.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ashish Srivastava stated, “Based on the family’s complaint, a case of kidnapping was registered immediately and a probe was launched without delay.”
CCTV Footage Crucial in Identifying Accused
As part of the investigation, police scrutinized CCTV footage from the vicinity of the Metro station. The footage revealed a young man arriving at the location in a vehicle.
He was seen approaching the family, lifting the sleeping child from beside her mother, and walking toward the lift on the station premises. Disturbingly, police sources indicated that Verma allegedly assaulted the child before fleeing the area in his vehicle.
The footage proved instrumental in tracking the suspect. Investigators identified the vehicle and traced its registration details to Deepak Verma, a local vendor known to sell bottled water aboard passenger trains.
Search and Encounter in the Early Hours of Friday
Upon visiting Verma’s residence, police found it vacant, prompting a search for alternative locations where he might be hiding. During the early hours of Friday, officers received intelligence suggesting that Verma was attempting to flee the district.
Acting on this tip-off, a police team laid a trap to intercept him. When they located Verma and asked him to surrender, he allegedly opened fire on the police.
“The officers responded in self-defense. During the retaliatory firing, Verma was hit and subsequently taken to the hospital,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Mamta Rani Chaudhary. He was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Ongoing Investigation and Criminal Background
Officials have confirmed that Verma had at least one prior criminal case registered against him.
The police are now investigating his background in greater detail, including his past activities, acquaintances, and family history, to determine if he was involved in similar offenses.
The swift police action has drawn mixed reactions — while many have lauded the law enforcement’s rapid response and child rescue, questions around due process and the frequency of police encounters in Uttar Pradesh have also resurfaced.
Meanwhile, the focus remains on ensuring the full recovery of the young girl, with authorities providing medical and psychological support to the family.
