Child rape accused who was beaten by mob dies in U.P’s Hapur
Inspector Neeraj Kumar confirmed that judicial custody had been granted via video conferencing as the accused was too injured to appear in court. His death complicates the legal proceedings, with the initial case of attempted murder against the mob likely to be upgraded to murder.
A 10-year-old girl’s rape in Hapur district took a grim turn after the accused, Shravan Kumar, succumbed to injuries early Thursday after being brutally beaten by an enraged mob. The crime took place a week ago in the Garh Mukteshwar police station area.
The victim, a fourth-grade student, was playing near a makeshift hut where her family—seasonal labourers—was staying during the wheat harvest.
Police say Kumar, a labourer from a nearby village, lured the girl with the promise of a cold drink. Intoxicated, he took her to an abandoned factory building and allegedly raped her. When the girl was found bleeding and traumatised, villagers tracked down Kumar and assaulted him severely before police intervened.
Rescued by police, Kumar was rushed to the local community health centre before being referred to Meerut Medical College due to his critical injuries. He died early Thursday.
Inspector Neeraj Kumar confirmed that judicial custody had been granted via video conferencing as the accused was too injured to appear in court. His death complicates the legal proceedings, with the initial case of attempted murder against the mob likely to be upgraded to murder.
Before his death, Kumar’s uncle filed a complaint accusing the victim’s family and villagers of attempted murder. Meanwhile, Kumar’s body has been sent for postmortem examination, and his family—distraught over his crimes and his death—visited the mortuary in tears.
“Investigations revealed Kumar allegedly planned to strangle the girl after the rape to hide his crime. The girl’s uncle, searching for her after she went missing, found Kumar in the abandoned factory and uncovered the assault,” police said.
The victim, still traumatised, continues to struggle with her mental health, according to villagers.
While many see Kumar’s death as justice, others worry about the cycle of violence, leaving his family in grief and shame. Authorities now face the challenge of balancing accountability for the rape with legal action against the mob.