Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh:
A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by her father's friend at Surgaon Joshi village, about five km away from Khandwa, police said on Friday.
The incident took place on Wednesday, they said.
According to police, the victim, daughter of a watchman had gone to a nearby shop for some work, where the accused, identified as Anokhi (22) was also present. After she left the place, he followed her, investigating police officer Manokamna Prasad told reporters.
The girl went missing after that and when she did not return home at night, her father approached the police. He told police that he suspected Anokhi might have kidnapped her.
The girl's body was later recovered from a forest near the village and prima facie it appears to be a case of rape and murder, police said adding that the body was sent for autopsy, police said.
Meanwhile, police have also launched a hunt to nab Anokhi, who was also missing since then and registered a case of kidnapping, rape and murder against him.