A two-and-a half-year-old girl was killed by her father, apparently acting on the advice of a self-styled godman to gain spiritual powers, and the body dumped in a forest area here, police said on Monday.

The father, identified only as Wajid, and self-styled godman Irfan were arrested and the body was recovered, SHO of Kakroli police station Vijay Bahadur Singh said.

A case was registered under sections 302, 201 and 120B of the IPC based on a complaint filed by the victim's mother, Rihana Begum, he said.

According to the FIR, Wajid took the girl to a nearby field on Sunday night where he allegedly strangled her and slit her throat on Irfan's advice. He then dumped the body.

The body has been sent for an autopsy, the police said.