Paradip, Aug. 22: Police today arrested a person on charge of rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl at Manumahala village of the district.

Yesterday, the victim was raped and later strangulated to death by two persons in an abandoned house at the village under Krishnanandapur gram panchayat in Tirtol police station limits.

The cops have arrested Seikh Adil, one of the accused. The other accused, Seikh Ashiq, is absconding. Ashiq is wanted in at least four criminal cases, said Tirtol police station inspector Dayanidhi Nayak.

“Yesterday, the girl was going to a nearby market when the duo intercepted her. She did not protest as she knew both of them. Later, they dragged her into the house around 3pm. No one got wind of the incident as the house is situated at a secluded place,” Nayak said.

Tension mounted in the village after local people retrieved the victim’s mutilated body around 10.30pm. The alleged rape and murder of the minor girl has triggered outrage across the district.

Police forces have been deployed in the village to diffuse the situation.

Jagatsighpur superintendent of police Satyabrata Bhoi said: “From circumstantial and material evidence gathered so far, it has been established that the minor was raped. He was later strangulated. The girl later died of suffocation. The body has been sent for post-mortem to Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital.”

The body bore bruises on the neck and other parts. The two accused lured her on some pretext and then raped her.