HARDDOI, Uttar Pradesh – A 29-year-old man, identified as Mahnoor alias Shahnoor alias Mehnuddin, who was accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering a seven-year-old boy, was killed in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district on Wednesday. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning during a police operation to apprehend the suspect, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000.
According to police reports, the encounter took place around 3 a.m. near the Babatmau area, approximately 50 kilometers from Hardoi city. Officers were conducting a checking operation to trace the absconding accused when they spotted a suspicious motorcycle rider. Upon being signalled to stop, the suspect allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the police team. In the ensuing retaliatory firing, Mahnoor sustained a bullet injury to his chest and was rushed to the district hospital, where he was declared dead by medical professionals.
During the exchange of fire, an SOG (Special Operations Group) in-charge, Rajesh Kumar, was also hit by a bullet and is currently undergoing treatment at a medical college hospital. The case dates back to May 3, when the seven-year-old boy was kidnapped from the Mallawan police station area. The victim, identified as the grandson of a local mosque’s hafiz, had gone to a village fair when he disappeared.
The family reported the boy missing on the same day when he did not return home. Initially, the police suspected a kidnapping for ransom after receiving calls demanding money. However, investigators later came to suspect that the kidnappers had sexually assaulted the child and subsequently murdered him out of fear of being apprehended. The body of the child was recovered on May 5 from a maize field behind a madrasa, approximately 500 meters from the victim’s house, after it was buried in a pit.
Police teams traced the ransom call number to Kanpur, leading to the arrest of two accused persons on Tuesday. Based on their interrogation and identification, the police launched a manhunt for Mahnoor, a resident of Kannauj district, who was identified as a key suspect. Mahnoor was known to the police, with a history of at least 12 criminal cases registered against him.
The Uttar Pradesh police have been actively engaged in combating violent crime, and this encounter underscores their efforts. The investigation into the full sequence of events and the potential involvement of other individuals remains ongoing. The recovered pistol, country-made firearm, and ammunition from the encounter site have been sent for forensic analysis.
The Chenab Times News Desk