Bhavnagar (Saurashtra), Jan 12 (IANS): A beggar strangled his neighbour's two-year-old daughter to death as her mother failed to repay a loan of Rs 500.

Neelambag police have registered a murder case against 62-year-old Chagan Parmar.

According to a complaint filed by Kantaben Charoliya, her daughter Sonal had gone missing on December 26.

While scanning the CCTV camera, the police found Chagan carrying the little girl. Both the families live on a footpath. On Wednesday, police picked up the accused and inquired about the girl.

During interrogation, Chagan told police that he had lent Rs 5,000 to the girl's mother Kantaben a few years ago. Though she paid Rs 4500 back, but was not repaying the remaining amount for which there used to be frequent quarrels between the two. So, to avenge, he kidnapped Sonal, took her to an isolated place near new Bandar road, and strangled her with a plastic rope and disposed of the body in bushes."

The body was recovered on Wednesday and sent for post-mortem. The accused has been detained and will be arrested once his corona report is negative.