Karnataka, Hubballi: The Karnataka state government has officially transferred the investigation of the high-profile encounter case involving Bihar native Ritesh Kumar to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Kumar was accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering a five-year-old girl in Hubballi’s Vijayanagara Layout on April 13.
CID Superintendent of Police Venkatesh, along with DySP Puneeth Kumar and Inspector Manjanath, arrived in Hubballi on Tuesday to begin their probe. The team collected case-related documents and preliminary findings from the local police, marking the formal takeover of the investigation.
According to police reports, Ritesh Kumar lured the child while she was playing near his residence, committed the assault, and later strangled her. Following his arrest, Kumar allegedly attempted to escape custody and attacked police personnel, prompting PSI Annapurna of Ashoka Nagar Police Station to open fire, resulting in his death. The CID will now look into the entire chain of events, including the encounter, as part of its investigation.
