Ghaziabad, March 18 -- A four-year-old girl who went missing on Monday evening was found murdered near her house in Nandgram, Ghaziabad, police said on Tuesday, adding that they have detained her 24-year-old neighbour whom the family has accused of rape and murder.

Ghaziabad Police had not formally arrested the man, or introduced sections pertaining to rape or sexual assault till the time of this edition going to print.

The girl's father told HT that she was playing with neighbourhood children outside their home when she went missing around 6pm on Monday. He rushed home from work and joined dozens of locals in the search.

"During the search, Gaurav Prajapati (the neighbour) was directing us to the spot and telling us we might find the ...