KANPUR, July 19 -- 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, said officials. 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 June 27 after venturing into a mango orchard. Her body was found the following day in an Alipur Kheda field (Mainpuri district), approximately 35 km from the disappearance site. Medical examination confirmed sexual assault. The grisly discovery had provoked violent protests, with villagers blockading the Farrukhabad-Delhi highway for 90 minutes before administrative intervention restored order. Investigators secured CCTV footage purportedly showing Subhash cycling away with the child following him. SP (Farrukhabad) Aarti Singh said the nomadic suspect had an extensive criminal record featuring murder, kidnapping and extortion charges. Authorities had announced a Rs 1 lakh reward for information leading to his capture. In the final confrontation, the police cornered Subhash at a hideout. "The accused initiated firing when challenged, leaving our personnel no choice but retaliatory action in self-defence," Singh said. Medical staff at the district hospital pronounced him dead on arrival. Police described Subhash as a "psychopathic offender" who specifically targeted minors. His rootless existence - unmarried, family-less and constantly mobile - had previously enabled evasion of law enforcement....