Kota: A 17-year-old mentally challenged girl was allegedly raped and murdered by her father here, police said on Sunday.

The daughter of Hariom Sharma was found murdered with deep fatal injuries on her head on May 13, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Kota City Shantanu Kumar said.

"The accused had been allegedly sexually exploiting and raping his daughter since the past few months as a result of which she got pregnant," he said.

On Wednesday night, when the girl was alone at home, Hariom tried to force himself upon her, but when she resisted his advances, he hit her on the head with a heavy iron material killing her on the spot, the ASP said.

The accused was held yesterday, he said.

"The four-month-old foetus, recovered from the victim's womb, would be sent to Forensic Science Laboratory, Jaipur for DNA sampling to ascertain the biological father," he said.

Police have registered a case against the accused under sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) of IPC and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, the ASP said, adding that investigation is underway.