Chhendipada: A missing 5-year-old girl was found dead under mysterious circumstances near her home at Kankarei village under Industrial PS (Nisa) in Odisha's Angul district. 

The minor girl was suspected to have been killed after rape. Local police detained one person in connection with the incident for questioning. 

According to reports, Ranjan Sai of Patatangar village in Pallahara area of the district had been staying with his family at Kankarei village and working as a daily wage labourer in past eight years. 

On March 13 afternoon, his lone 5-year-old daughter was playing at backward. A few minutes later, his wife did not find her at home. On March 15 morning, the locals found blood-soaked body of the girl from a mahua forest in front of the deceased's house and informed the police. 

The local police recovered the body and initiated investigation with help of a scientific team. The police detained one person identified as Babula Jena of Jerenga village who was staying in a rented house located merely 50 metre away from the place where the body was found, as suspect in alleged murder incident. 

Police suspected that the 40-year-old man dumped the body in the forest after killing her following rape. 

Reports said that the accused had fled with one of his relatives (sister-in-law) from his village 5 years ago after ditching his wife. Since then, he had been staying at Kankarei area and working as a mason.