In the latest development in the rape of a toddler in Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh Police on late Thursday night injured the accused in an encounter, the officials said.

The accused was rushed to the hospital after the encounter, where he was said to be in critical condition. The action comes within 20 hours of the gruesome act, the police officials added.

The incident took place in Lucknow's Alambagh near the metro station where the girl, the daughter of a daily wage worker, was sleeping.

The accused took the girl away while her parents were sleeping and raped her at a secluded place. Based on the complaint, a case was registered, and five teams were formed to nab the accused.

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Ashish Srivastav, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Central Lucknow, who visited the crime scene on Wednesday night itself, identified the accused as Deepak Verma.

While talking to the news agency ANI, DCP Srivastava said, " On the morning of June 5, at 10 am, a complaint was registered that a 2.5 year old girl had been raped... A case was registered and five teams were formed... As per the CCTV footage of the scooter, the accused was identified as Deepak Verma... The Commissioner of Police was given a proposal to declare a reward of Rs. 1 lakh..."

He added, "Within 20 hours, there has been an encounter between the police team and the accused. The accused has been injured. His condition is critical and has been sent to the hospital for treatment...".

The survivor, on the other hand, was also taken to the hospital on Thursday where her condiction remained critical.  Earlier, the DCP had said, "We have registered a case under relevant sections at Alambagh police station, and an intensive investigation is currently underway. We have formed five teams to investigate the incident and arrest the culprit. Police are actively scrutinizing CCTV footage to identify the accused."

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"We got to know that when the couple found the girl in a critical situation, they first took the child to Lok Bandhu Hospital, where doctors confirmed the assault and informed the One Stop Centre. The police launched an investigation after the case was filed. Five teams have been deployed. We are working to find the culprits. Our team members are also there with the victim at the hospital," he added.

(With Inputs From Agencies)