Vadodara: A 25-year-old man who allegedly abducted, raped and murdered a four-and-a-half-year-old girl in Vasad town of Anand was shot dead in police firing after he reportedly attacked a team of cops with a knife while being taken for further investigation late on Sunday night.Police said the shooting was in self-defence after 25-year-old Suresh Parmar attacked two policemen and tried to knife the investigating officer despite repeated warnings to surrender.According to police, Parmar, a labourer, was arrested by Borsad Rural police within hours of the alleged rape and murder and was handed over to Anand local crime branch (LCB) for further investigation.Police said that around 11.15 pm, while the LCB team was taking Parmar for investigation, he complained of vomiting, prompting the escort team to stop the vehicle between Asodar outpost and Kanthariya railway crossing in the jurisdiction of Anklav police station. As he was being escorted out of the vehicle, he pulled out a concealed knife and attacked constables Rajveersinh Chauhan and Mahipalsinh Rathod, injuring both. He also tried to attack sub-inspector I J Rana.Police said Rana first fired a warning shot into the air and repeatedly ordered Parmar to surrender. When he allegedly continued to attack and refused to comply, Rana fired six rounds in self-defence. Of these, one was the warning shot, while the remaining bullets struck Parmar—three in the chest, one in the waist and one in the leg.Parmar was taken, along with the injured policemen, to Shree Krishna Hospital in Karamsad, where doctors declared him dead. The two policemen are undergoing treatment.The four-and-a-half-year-old girl was abducted from Vasad railway station platform at 9.15 pm on Saturday. Her mutilated body was found the next morning on the railway tracks beyond the platform.On Monday, Anand superintendent of police Gaurav Jasani said the investigation established that the girl died due to the sexual assault and her body was later dumped on the railway tracks.Railway police, Anand district police, LCB, SOG and Vasad police formed teams to nab the perpetrator. Investigators analysed CCTV footage from the railway station, which showed Parmar carrying the child away from the platform. Within a few hours, he was caught by the Borsad Rural police.
