Varanasi: A 33-year-old man accused of attempting to murder a woman by repeatedly stabbing her at her house was arrested after an exchange of fire with police in Azamgarh’s Pawai area early Saturday. The accused sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the encounter and later allegedly confessed that he attacked the woman after she rejected his advances.Circle Officer (Phulpur) Kiranpal Singh said police teams searching for the accused in connection with the July 16 attack received a tip-off that he was hiding near the Khandora underpass. Acting on the information, police cordoned off the area.On spotting the police, the accused, Sujit Maurya (33), allegedly opened fire. In retaliatory firing, he sustained a bullet injury to his leg and was arrested, Singh said. Police seized a country-made pistol, live and spent cartridges, and Rs 220 in cash from his possession before shifting him to a hospital.During preliminary interrogation, Maurya allegedly told police that he had been stalking the woman for a long time and was infatuated with her. However, as she showed no interest in him, his feelings remained one-sided, leaving him frustrated.Police said that on the night of July 16, Maurya allegedly entered the woman’s house and, when she tried to raise an alarm, attacked her multiple times with a knife, targeting her throat and hand. Believing she had died, he fled the scene. However, the woman survived the attack and is undergoing treatment.
