PTI, HYDERABAD: A 23-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping and killing a minor girl of his neighbour in Hyderabad'a Alkapuri area, police said today. The body of the 5-year-old girl, with her head smashed, was found dumped in the bushes at an isolated spot last night, an officer said. The accused, identified as Dinesh D, a construction labourer from Madhya Pradesh, had allegedly lured the girl with chocolate and took her to an isolated spot, the officer said.

"He took her to a deserted place in Alkapuri area where he allegedly raped and killed her using a boulder," Narsingi Police Station Inspector G V Ramana Goud said. He said the girl's parents had seen Dinesh walking with the girl in the afternoon. They confronted him in the evening when they did not find the child with him. Dinesh allegedly told them that he had already sent the girl to her house.

The girl's parents and neighbours searched for her but could not find her, following which they approached police.

"The girl's parents lodged a complaint last night and during the course of the investigation, police cracked the case and found the girl's body in bushes, and subsequently arrested the accused (around midnight)," the inspector said.

Dinesh has been booked under various sections of the IPC for kidnap, rape and murder, the officer said, adding that further investigation is on.