A police constable allegedly killed a 10-year-old girl after attempting to rape her in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur on Tuesday night. He was arrested on Thursday.
Police identified the accused as Abhishek Yadav, a constable posted with the Dial 112 Police Response Vehicle (PRV) unit in Gorakhpur.
Officers said he spotted the child walking home alone from the district hospital, offered her a lift on his motorcycle and later allegedly killed her before dumping her body under a bridge on the banks of a river.
The incident triggered outrage at the district hospital, where doctors and paramedical staff allegedly assaulted Yadav when he was brought for a routine medical examination before being produced in court on Thursday. Police had to call in additional personnel to complete the medical examination and escort him out.
Gorakhpur SSP, Kaustubh said the process to dismiss Yadav from service has been initiated.
“He does not deserve to be serving in the police force after being involved in such a grisly act. He is a habitual offender… he was jailed in January last year for allegedly molesting a woman and was suspended. He was released on bail and his suspension was revoked in September. He was on duty in the Dial 112 unit,” the SSP told The Indian Express.
The SSP said police received a complaint around 3 am on Wednesday from the girl’s father that she had gone missing while returning from the district hospital. She had gone there to deliver food to her elder sister, who had been admitted on Tuesday evening, as there was no one else at home to do so.
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A police team examined CCTV footage from the area and found a man in police uniform following the girl. The footage showed him intercepting her after she left the hospital around 10 pm. He was seen talking to her and offering her a lift. Although the girl initially refused, she later got on the motorcycle, the SSP said.
Using the motorcycle’s registration number captured in the footage, police traced the vehicle to Yadav. He was taken into custody for questioning on Wednesday night, during which he allegedly admitted to the crime. Police then took him to the spot and recovered the body.
During questioning, the accused claimed he saw the girl walking alone after she left the hospital.
According to the SSP, Yadav stopped her at a secluded spot and persuaded her to accompany him on the pretext of dropping her home. Instead, he allegedly took her to an area near a crematorium and attempted to rape her. He allegedly pressed his hand over her mouth and nose to stop her from screaming, causing her death.
Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.
Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.
Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More
