AGRA, March 29 -- The absconding tenant, accused of murdering his landlord's 8-year-old daughter, was shot dead in a police encounter in Agra early Saturday morning. The incident took place around 3 am in the Bamroli Katara area of the district, said Agra police, adding that a reward of Rs.25,000 had been announced for his capture. During the encounter, sub-inspector Vishwajeet Rana was reportedly injured and has been admitted to a hospital. The accused, Sunil Kumar (40) had allegedly brutally murdered the 8-year-old girl and hid her body inside a flour container in a rented room in the Tajganj area of Agra city. Deputy commissioner of police Syed Ali Abbas said that in the early hours of Saturday, police received information about Sunil's presence in Bamroli Katara area of Agra, and learned that he was moving towards Firozabad district. When police tracked him down, he allegedly opened fire instead of surrendering, injuring sub-inspector Vishwajeet Rana. In response, the police fired back in self-defence, injuring Sunil. He was taken to a hospital but died during treatment. The police also recovered an illegal firearm and a motorcycle from the scene, DCP Abbas added. DCP Abbas, when asked about the motive behind the killing, said that the investigation is ongoing. He added that the possible involvement of someone from the victim's family is also under suspicion and will be clarified as the probe progresses. He said that the accused was absconding, though not immediately after the incident. When the girl was reported missing, he even accompanied the distraught family to the police station and joined the search efforts alongside the police, pretending to be innocent. The DCP said that the girl had been missing since Tuesday afternoon after she left home to play outside. Later that day, based on information provided by the family, a case was registered at the Tajganj police station, naming the tenant and some unidentified persons in the FIR. He added that after a search, the girl's body was discovered on Wednesday night inside a flour storage container in a room rented to Sunil. The body bore a cut mark on the neck, he said. "The reason for death in the post mortem report is shock and haemorrhage caused due to ante mortem injuries. There is a cut mark on the neck of the deceased. Rape has not been confirmed but cannot be ruled out completely at this stage. Thus the slide has been preserved for further analysis. We are yet to assign a motive behind the killing," said the DCP. Twelve teams were constituted to apprehend the accused, Sunil Kumar (40), and the police announced a reward of Rs 25,000 as the search for him continued, he added....