WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE

She was found near her home beheaded, doused in acid and her breasts cut

Her father's account of when she disappeared was contradicted by her mother

Police in India suspect she was handed over to 'honour' killer by her father

Gaya Police arrested her father, mother and another relative on Thursday

Hundreds of people turned out in protest in Gaya, in the state of Bindar, as residents were shocked by the heinous crime

A 16-year-old was found beheaded with her face doused in acid and her breasts mutilated.

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The teen's family claim she was raped, while the authorities suspect they are responsible for her 'honour' killing.

The grim discovery of the girl - who protesters are referring to as Anjana on social media - was made on Sunday just a few hundred feet from the family home.

Protesters have flocked to the streets as fury grows in the holy city of Gaya, Bindar, in the northeast of the country.

The teen went missing on December 28 according to a report filed by her father to the police on January 6, NDTV reported.

But senior officer Rajiv Mishra said her mother and sisters detailed how she returned home on December 28 and was sent away by her father with a man known to the family.

A picture of the alleged victim, known as Anjana, has been widely circulated by protesters who are walking with her picture on placards as they demand justice

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Hundreds of protesters march through Gaya as they hold placards saying 'Justice For Anjana'

Candlelit vigils were held on Tuesday and Wednesday night in the holy city of Gaya after police found the body on Sunday

Images of the 16-year-old's corpse being discovered have been circulated online

Police said that they had detained the girl's mother, father and another relative, according to the Times of India.

Hundreds turned out in protest and took part in candlelit marches on Tuesday and Wednesday to demand justice for the murdered teen.

India has a grim record of sexual violence. On average, more than 100 rapes were reported each day in 2016, according to the most recent official figures.

Rituparna Chatterjee, the leader of India's #MeToo movement, has demanded action from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and local politicians.

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An post-mortem examination will be carried out to determine the cause of death and whether she was killed.