Hubballi: Hubballi city was shrouded in grief as the last rites of a five-year-old girl, a victim of a horrific POCSO and murder case, were performed at Devangapete burial grounds following Kuruba traditions. The sombre ceremony, overseen by magistrate K R Patil after a post-mortem at KIMS Hospital, saw social worker Adityaraj step forward to provide Rs. 1 lakh in financial support to the bereaved parents.

In a parallel development, Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar visited the site of an encounter where Ritesh Kumar, a 35-year-old from Patna accused in the girl’s case, was fatally shot. Kumar, who was being escorted for a spot inspection, reportedly attacked officers and attempted to flee, damaging a police vehicle in the process.

Sub-Inspector Annapurna, an officer from Ashoknagar station, fired warning shots before shooting Kumar, who later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The commissioner noted that forensic teams have gathered evidence from the scene, and Kumar’s body awaits family collection, failing which the city corporation will handle final rites.