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Accused in 6-year-old's rape injured in shootout after attempting to escape custody in MP's Raisen

BHOPAL: After six days on the run, 23-year-old Salman, accused of abducting, raping, and critically injuring a six-year-old girl in Gauharganj, Raisen district, was arrested from the outskirts of Bhopal on Thursday night. Just hours after his arrest, while being taken in police custody from Bhopal to Gauharganj, Salman attempted to flee in the early hours of Friday in Obedullaganj, Raisen district. The escape bid ended after a short encounter that left him with a bullet wound in his leg. Tyre of the police vehicle in which Salman was being taken in custody from Bhopal to Gauharganj got punctured while passing through the forest area of Obedullaganj at around 3.15 am. Just when Salman was being shifted to another police vehicle, he snatched the gun from sub-inspector Shyamraj Singh and fired twice at the force. Alert cops subsequently opened fire, hitting his leg, and he fell down. He was taken into custody again and admitted to Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal, a senior police official in central Madhya Pradesh told TNIE on Friday. Earlier on Thursday night, the Gandhinagar police in Bhopal arrested Salman following specific inputs from local residents, after he was found searching for a room on rent. We were seated in a tea shop when he came and enquired about renting a room. When asked for ID, he said he didnt have any. We had seen pictures of the absconding accused on TV and newspapers. Suspecting it was him, we alerted the police, who soon arrived and caught him, local residents Rizwan and Asif told a TV channel. Deputy Inspector General Prashant Khare (DIG-Narmadapuram Range) said the arrest was made based on specific intelligence. VIDEO | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: An accused in the Raisen minor assault case arrested after encounter as he tried to escape from the police. The injured accused has been admitted to a hospital. More details are awaited. #BhopalNews #MadhyaPradeshNews (Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/OV77WynAc7 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 28, 2025 A Rs 30,000 bounty had been declared on Salman, who had been on the run since November 21, when he allegedly abducted, raped, and severely injured the six-year-old girl in the jungles near Gauharganj. The victim is currently recuperating at AIIMS-Bhopal. The case had sparked massive protests in Gauharganj since November 21, with a large number of women joining Hindu outfits to demand Salmans arrest. On Wednesday, the protests turned violent when residents and activists tried to enter a Muslim-dominated locality, prompting police to resort to a cane charge. The mob reportedly pelted stones at police officers. Multiple police teams from Raisen and neighbouring Harda and Betul districts were searching for Salman, who has a past record of theft and criminal assault. Teams even extended their search to Gujarat, following continuous intelligence inputs. On Tuesday night, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav expressed strong displeasure over the handling of the case and associated road blockades. The SP of Raisen, Pankaj Pandey, was removed and attached to the state PHQ as an Assistant Inspector General (AIG), while Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashutosh (DCP Bhopal Zone I) was appointed the new SP of Raisen district.