Maha: Man held for rape and murder of his neighbour's three-year-old daughter in Thane district

Thane, Jan 23 (PTI) A 26-year-old man was arrested from Bhiwandi city in Thane district of Maharashtra on Monday for allegedly raping and killing a three-year-old girl a day before, police said.

The accused, who hails from Bihar, is a powerloom worker.

He lured the girl who was playing outside her house in his neighbourhood on Sunday evening under the pretext of showing her a mobile phone. He took her to his house where he sexually assaulted the child and strangled her to death.

The accused was found sitting in his house with the victim's body lying next to him when police forced open the door during a search for the missing girl, an official said.

The accused was remanded in police custody till January 30.

He has been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape and murder and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. PTI COR  NSK NSK