Hyderabad rape accused found dead on railway track after 'encounter' threat by minister

Hyderabad rape accused has been found dead on railway tracks on Thursday morning, Telangana police tweeted and confirmed the news. The deceased was accused of raping and killing a 6-year-old who was kidnapped from outside her residence and later raped and murdered on September 9.

The incident comes two days after a Telangana minister warned of an 'encounter'. On Tuesday, Telangana Minister Malla Reddy told reporters in Hyderabad, "We will catch the rapist and murderer. There will be an encounter after he is caught."

The police are however calling the death of the accused a case of suicide. "We suspect he ended his life," a senior police officer was quoted by a media. Eyewitnesses say the incident took place around 8.40 am when the accused named Raju came under Hyderabad-bound Konark Express. The Telangana police chief shared the images of the man's body on Twitter.

#AttentionPlease : The accused of "Child Sexual Molestation and murder @ Singareni Colony, found dead on the railway track, in the limits of #StationGhanpurPoliceStation.
Declared after the verification of identification marks on deceased body. pic.twitter.com/qCPLG9dCCE

— DGP TELANGANA POLICE (@TelanganaDGP) September 16, 2021

Earlier to get the whereabouts of the rape accused, a massive manhunt was launched and the Hyderabad city police announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of Raju. However, initially, the police had claimed that the accused was arrested from his native village in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district.

What is the case

 A 6-year-old was raped and murdered in Hyderabad on September 9.

The child's body with heavy injury marks was found wrapped in a bedsheet, rolled under a mattress at the accused's house.

An autopsy done at the government-run Osmania Hospital revealed that the child was sexually assaulted and strangulated to death.

The horrific incident had triggered angry protests from residents on Friday.