RANCHI: A woman beat her neighbour to death on Saturday after she came to know he had allegedly raped her five-year-old daughter.

Arjun Tamba (30) succumbed to his injuries after he was attacked by an iron rod at Latma area in Jagannathpur locality. Hatia DSP Nisha Murmu said the woman has been arrested.

According to police, the woman went out to work at a construction site, leaving her daughter alone at home. Tamba called the girl to his house and allegedly raped her. When the woman returned from work, the girl told her of the assault. The woman picked up an iron rod, went over to Tamba's house and thrashed him to death.

"No one raised a voice even as the man cried for help. Locals came to know about the murder on Sunday morning and informed police, after which the body was recovered," said Murmu. Tamba lived alone.

Police said though the woman claims her daughter was raped, medical reports are yet to confirm the allegations.

"My daughter told me that Tamba had called her to his house for playing," the woman told reporters on Sunday. "He outraged her modesty and when the girl started crying, he fled. The girl was weeping uncontrollably when I came home."