Alipurduar, Oct. 10: The body of a 16-year-old girl who was raped and killed allegedly by her cousin was found trussed up inside tea bushes yesterday morning.

The accused, Rajesh Munda of Gopalpur Tea Estate, was beaten up by the local people and handed over to police. Rajesh has been arrested but was hospitalised after the assault. He has confessed to the crime.

The girl was a resident of Tulshipara Tea Estate and had come to Gopalpur garden to visit Rajesh and his wife. On Wednesday night, Rajesh took the girl out for a walk and raped her in a dark alley. When she threatened to disclose the incident, he struck her head with a stone, police said. She died on the spot.

Residents of the garden spotted the body yesterday morning. When they started questioning Rajesh and his wife, the 32-year-old man tried to flee the house. He was, however, caught by the people, tied to a tree and beaten up.

The girl’s brother, Binod Munda, has lodged an FIR with the Birpara police station against Rajesh.

“We will produce him in the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate after he is fit,” said S.R. Misra, the additional superintendent of police of Alipurduar.

Munda said it was beyond his imagination that Rajesh could commit such a crime. “After all he is our brother. We are grateful to the local people but for whom the accused would have fled the area.”