By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A seven-year-old girl, who went missing from her apartment complex in southern suburban Mugalivakkam on Sunday, was found murdered near the tollgate at Mugalivakkam on Wednesday morning. The half-burnt body of the girl was found inside a travel bag.

Police suspect the girl's neighbour, a 22-year-old man, had killed the girl after kidnapping and sexually assaulting her. The suspect S Daswant, a mechanical engineering graduate, has been arrested by the police.

The child had gone missing five days ago while playing in front of her house with a dog. Based on the complaint filed by her parents, the police were looking out for the girl and were circulating her photographs. As police stepped up the investigations, on Wednesday early morning, the body was found inside a travel bag at Mugalivakkam.

“Daswant took the girl to his flat located (located adjacent to the girl's) and tried to sexually abuse her. The girl died when he tried to gag her mouth to prevent her from raising an alarm. To escape from the crime, he took the body out in a travel bag to dispose it. He also poured petrol on the bog and set it on fire," said a police officer.