Gujarat man detained for rape, murder of neighbour's 5-year-old daughter

A 35-year-old man has been detained for allegedly raping a five-year-old daughter of his neighbour in a village in Gujarat's Aravalli district, police said on Sunday. The accused was caught by villagers and handed over to the police on Saturday night after the incident, an official said.

They found the girl's body with her hands and legs tied and mouth stuffed with cloth lying under the bed in the house of her neighbour, he said.

Prima facie, the man lured the girl under some pretext on Saturday evening, raped her, and strangled her to death, said Dhansura police station sub-inspector SJ Desai.

The incident came to light when villagers launched a search for the girl after she went missing. Villagers caught hold of the man and handed him over to the police after they found the body, SJ Desai added.

An FIR was registered against him on a complaint lodged by the uncle of the girl, Mr Desai said, adding that the crime branch is handling the investigation.