Hubbali, April 13 -- A 35-year-old man accused of raping and murdering a five-year-old girl in Karnataka's Hubballi was shot dead in an encounter with the police on Sunday, officials said.

The accused, identified as Nitesh Kumar, allegedly attacked the police team when they attempted to apprehend him.

Despite a warning shot, he tried to flee, prompting police to open fire. He was later declared dead at KMC-IR Hospital, police said, adding that three police personnel were injured during the operation.

The incident occurred hours after the child was allegedly kidnapped and killed in Hubballi's Vijayanagar area. Her body was found in an abandoned building.

Outraged by the incident, a large number of residents from the locality gathered i...