A man, accused of raping and killing a two-year-old girl, fled from police custody but was nabbed following a gunfight, with a probe launched to find out how he managed to get a country-made pistol soon after escaping.

On Friday night, Moish (20) abducted the minor who was sleeping with her family members outside her house in Sadar area, Meerut (city) Superintendent of Police Ayush Vikram Singh said.

When the family members woke up, they chased the accused to save the girl from his clutches but Moish threw the girl in the drain and fled, he said.

The girl's body was recovered from the drain on Saturday morning, he said.

Meerut SSP Vipin Tada told reporters that Moish abducted the girl and raped her. Today, he managed to escape from police custody while he was being taken for a medical checkup.

Teams were formed immediately and the accused was traced. When a police team went to nab him, he opened fire at them. In retaliatory firing, Moish sustained injuries on both legs, he said.

The SSP said that it is being probed from where the accused got the country-made pistol after fleeing from custody.

The minor’s post-mortem report has confirmed that she was raped, SSP Tada said.

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