Berhampur , Police on Saturday recovered the body of a four-year-old girl from an under-construction Anganwadi centre in Odisha's Ganjam district, an officer said.
The girl was missing since Friday evening when a festival was going on in the village. Her body was recovered from under Pattapur police station limits in the district.
Family members suspected that the girl might have been raped and killed by miscreants.
Senior police officers, including SP Subhendu Kumar Patra visited the spot. A scientific police team and dog squad were also engaged to assist in the investigation.
The body was sent to MKCG Medical College here for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of the death would be ascertained only after getting the autopsy report, said police.
"We are investigating from all angles and interrogating some of the people in the village suspecting their involvement in the gruesome incident," said the SP.
The police on Saturday evening arrested a 27-year-old man on the charge of rape and murder of the girl. The accused is a distant relative of the deceased, said the SP.
The accused lured the girl by offering chocolate and a visit to the festival. He took her to an isolated place and attempted to rape her. He killed her by throttling her and then dumped the body. He was under the influence of liquor, the SP said.
{{/usCountry}}The accused lured the girl by offering chocolate and a visit to the festival. He took her to an isolated place and attempted to rape her. He killed her by throttling her and then dumped the body. He was under the influence of liquor, the SP said.
{{/usCountry}}The girl along with her mother went to her paternal uncle's house for the festival. She went missing while playing in the verandah of the house on Friday evening. A missing complaint was lodged at the Pattapur police station.
The villagers found her body in the under-construction house of the Anganwadi centre and informed the police. A police team immediately rushed to the spot and recovered the body.
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