An 18-year-old Vasai resident was strangulated to death by her boyfriend on Tuesday, after she allegedly refused to marry him.

According to the Thane rural police, the arrested accused confessed to killing the girl because she refused to marry him. “The duo was in a relationship and worked together at a firm at Virar. They frequented the victim’s aunt’s flat, where the incident took place,” said a senior police officer investigating the case. “The accused said that the girl told him that she would marry someone else, this prompted him to kill her.” Although Rai fled after killing her, he was arrested on Thursday evening.

The incident came to light only after the victim’s aunt came home to find the corpse. The body had strangulation marks.

Although the police initially registered a case of accidental death, it was later changed to rape and kidnapping. “Initially, the victim’s aunt thought it is a case of poisoning. However after the autopsy at JJ hospital it was confirmed that she had been strangled to death,” said the officer. The police have booked Rai under sections 302 (murder) and 376 (rape) of the IPC.

The police are also investigating if there was forced sex. “It is premature to say if there was forced sex,” said the officer.