Patna, Feb 14 (IANS): A minor girl was raped and murdered in Bihar's Gaya district, police said on Tuesday.

The incident was reported from Kenduadih village under Barachatti police station in the district.

The girl had gone to farm land for some work on Monday evening but then disappeared. Her half-naked body was found on Tuesday morning.

Local police suspect that she was sexually assaulted by someone and then killed.

"During investigation, it appeared that the victim was seen with a youth named Vikas Kumar in Giotama village. The family members went to his house in the village but he was not present. The father of the victim has given an application against Vikas Kumar for kidnapping, rape and murder. We have registered an FIR," said Ram Lakhan, SHO of Barachatti police station.

"The family members of the victim and other relatives searched her and they managed to find her half-naked dead body in an agricultural field, two km from her village," he said.

"We are making an effort to arrest the accused. The dead body was sent for a post-mortem examination," he added.