Bengaluru, Apr 2 (IANS): Karnataka police on Saturday shot Mohammad Avez, a rowdy sheeter in the leg during an encounter. Avez is accused of attempting to rape a Nepali woman at her residence in Bengaluru.

The police launched a hunt for the accused after he escaped from the custody of police when he was being taken for the medical test on Thursday. The police on Saturday came to know that the accused is hiding in Veerannapalya area and launched a search operation and finally shot him in the leg during a brief encounter.

DCP (East) Bheemashankar Guled said that the accused was shot after he attacked policemen with a knife.

Accused Mohammad Avez was working at a puncture shop. Presently, there are 27 serious crime cases against registered him in 18 police stations in 8 divisions of Bengaluru. He was banished from the city last year. The accused had not only come to the city violating the order, but attempted to rape a woman from Nepal when she was alone at home on Thursday.

The neighbours who rushed to help after listening to her screams, caught the accused and handed him over to the police. He had been jailed 10 times before. Further investigation is on.