A man was on Sunday arrested in Rajasthan for strangulating his 23-year-old sister-in-law after a failed rape bid on December 25, police said. The victim died in a hospital on Saturday.

Police said the accused escaped thinking the woman had died. However, she was rushed to SMS hospital in Jaipur in an unconscious state where she passed away on Saturday night four days after the rape attempt.

The incident took place at Govindpura village near Neem Ka Thana in Sikar district, around 150 km from Jaipur.

"The victim had married one Shankar Lal three years ago and was staying at her in-laws house in the village," said a police officer.

She was alone at the house when her husband's cousin Pintu alias Ajay came to visit her, the officer said.

On finding her alone, Pintu tried to rape her, the officer added.

"However, she resisted. When Ajay failed in his attempt, he tried to strangulate her using her stole. Ajay thought she had died when she fell unconscious and ran away from the house," said the officer.

"We traced Ajay and have arrested him for attempted rape and murder," he said.