Mysuru, Oct. 11 (RK&BCT)- The accused K.S. Karthik, who abducted, raped and murdered the 10-year-old girl, who had come to Mysuru city with her family from Kalaburagi to sell balloons and toys during Dasara, had displayed savage behaviour by stabbing the child 19 times, inflicting horrific injuries that led to her death.

City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar confirmed that the crime occurred early Thursday morning. The girl, asleep beside her parents in a make-shift tent near the Dasara Exhibition Grounds, was abducted by Karthik, who then sexually assaulted her. Following the assault, he stabbed her repeatedly — 19 times — with brutal force, leaving her body lifeless.

Karthik, a bus cleaner from Siddalingapura, has a record of violent offences. He was earlier convicted in assault and attempted murder cases registered in Kollegal and Siddalingapura, and was released on bail just three months ago after securing relief from the High Court, where he had appealed his four-year prison sentence.

After his arrest from Kollegal on Thursday evening, just hours after committing the crime, Karthik attempted to attack Police officers near the Metagalli Railway Goods Shed while being escorted for documentation and evidence collection. He picked up a broken beer bottle from the ground and tried to assault the officers.

Moments earlier, Karthik had requested permission to step out of the Police jeep, claiming he needed to relieve himself — a request to which the officers had agreed.

As he began attacking the Police team with the broken bottle, Sub-Inspector Jaikeerthi responded with a warning shot in the air with his licensed revolver and then fired at Karthik’s leg when he tried to flee. He was admitted to K.R. Hospital’s Jail Ward and later shifted to the Trauma Care Centre Jail Ward on KRS Road for further treatment.