India, July 18 -- KANPUR A 55-year-old man, accused of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl, was shot dead in an encounter with the Farrukhabad police on Friday morning. The suspect, Manu Subhash of Pakhna village, allegedly opened fire on a police team that had cornered him following a tip-off, prompting officers to return fire.

DIG (Kanpur range) Harish Chander said Subhash faced multiple charges, including molestation, rape and murder. "The accused was electronically isolated, not even using a mobile phone, and constantly moved between locations," Chander added. The 20-day manhunt culminated through combined CCTV analysis and human intelligence.

The victim, a Qaimganj resident visiting relatives in Neevkarori, disappeared on J...