Man held in Greater Noida girl’s death case dies after police encounter, police say

Balraj, arrested in connection with the alleged rape and killing of a six-year-old girl in Greater Noida, died after a police encounter near Tiddi Park in the Ecotech police station area on Saturday, police said.

Police said the encounter took place at about 5 pm as a team took him to recover a pistol he had allegedly disclosed during questioning. He retrieved a hidden weapon and fired at officers, police said; the team returned fire, leaving him seriously injured.

Balraj was taken to Noida District Hospital, where he was declared dead.

The girl had gone missing from her home on Friday. After her family filed a complaint, police formed five teams and examined CCTV footage from nearby areas during the search. Her family later apprehended Balraj and handed him over to police, who arrested him on Saturday afternoon.

Police said Balraj was a tenant at the home of the girl’s uncle. The circumstances of the encounter and the investigation into the child’s death remain subject to police and legal process.