New Delhi, April 9 (IANS): A four-year-old girl, who went missing on Monday from near her house, was allegedly killed by her neighbour in West Delhi’s Moti Nagar area, the police said on Tuesday.

Sharing initial details, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), Vichitra Veer, said that on Monday evening, the minor girl had gone missing while she was playing near her home in the Moti Nagar area. The girl's mother later filed a missing complaint with the Moti Nagar police station.

“Various search teams were deployed to trace the girl. CCTV footage from the area was also scanned. At around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a ransom call was received by the victim's neighbour, who owns a grocery shop, demanding Rs 5 lakh for the release of the girl.

“Technical surveillance was carried out which led to suspicion falling upon one of the neighbours, who works as a loader at a factory. This person was confronted with electronic evidence. Eventually, he broke down and confessed to the crime,” the DCP said.

The body of the victim was recovered from the house of the accused, who has been apprehended.

"The exact motive behind the murder is yet to be established. The circumstances surrounding the girl's death will be determined after the post-mortem examination," the DCP said.