Rampur (UP), Apr 17 (PT) A man was arrested within 24 hours of allegedly raping an 11-year-old deaf-and-mute girl, who was found in a field here bleeding from her private parts and with bite marks on her body, according to officials.

The accused, Daan Singh (24), was arrested following a brief exchange of fire with police on Wednesday night in which he was injured, the officials said.

The girl, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital, is in severe shock and her condition is stated to be critical, they said.

The girl went missing from outside her house on Tuesday evening, prompting an overnight search by her family. The girl’s father, a poor farmer, searched neighbouring villages and made announcements through mosques.

She was found naked, unconscious and bleeding from her private parts in a field on Wednesday morning by a local farmer, according to police.

The accused was identified hours after the girl was found, the officials said.

“Three teams were formed to nab the suspect. During the search, information led them to the accused. As police attempted to make an arrest, the accused opened fire at them with the intention to kill. Police returned fire in self-defence, injuring the accused, who was then taken into custody,” Superintendent of Police Vidyasagar Mishra said.

During the interrogation, Daan Singh confessed to the crime. Further investigation is underway, the officer said.

The girl is undergoing treatment at Meerut Medical College and remains in severe shock, the officials said.

The victim was initially taken for a medical examination at Shahbad and then to the Milak primary health centre, they said.

Dr. Anju Singh, who examined the survivor, said, “The girl was raped and had bite marks on her body. She is deaf and mute and unable to communicate the details of the assault. She only displayed fear.” “The fear and pain were evident in the young girl’s eyes, even though she could not speak,” the doctor said.

The girl’s condition is stated to be critical, the officials said. PTI COR CDN DIV DIV