Tension prevailed in Indirapuram area after the body of the girl, the daughter of a priest, was found in a half-constructed house on Friday midnight with marks of brutal rape and murder.

The girl was missing since Thursday.

Three persons, including the accused's father, brother and one Alam were detained and a police team was sent to Khagaria to arrest Afroz, a mason, who allegedly raped and murdered the child, Superintendent of Police Salman Taj Patil said.

Several raids were conducted at his house, Patil said.

Meanwhile, the post-mortem report confirmed the child was raped before being killed.

The residents were angry over police apathy for tracing the abducted child despite timely information.

"The crime is grave and we will arrest the culprit at the earliest. He is a drug addict and still away from family," the SP said.

"He does not use mobile phone otherwise we would have arrested him by putting his mobile on surveillance," he added.

Earlier, Afroz had stayed in the priest's house as a tenant but was asked to leave after a spat.

According to the residents, Afroz, who had moved to a nearby house, has committed the crime to avenge the humiliation.

Tension gripped the entire area and heavy police force was deployed for extensive patrolling.