A 14-year-old girl who was reported missing from Kandivli more than a month ago on October 1, was found to have been molested and killed by her 25-year-old neighbour who burned her alive. According to a report in The Times of India, the police said the accused was arrested on Sunday and charged under the POSCO (Preventation of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.

The girl, a class 9 student, was staying with her parents and was known to the accused, who owns a shoe-cleaning service. She went missing on the afternoon of October 1 following which her parents filed a kidnapping complaint with the Samta Nagar Police station. The police checked the call data records of the girl and questioned her parents, friends and neighbours, including the accused. Even as the accused complied with the investigation, it was found that he was misleading the police.