Hyderabad, Feb 21 (IANS): A man, who brutally murdered three nieces, committed suicide by jumping into a river in Andhra Pradesh, police said.

The body of 38-year-old Narender Reddy was found in Godavari river at Basar in Adilabad district Friday. The car used by the accused to kidnap three children was found abandoned at Basar Thursday.

The accused kidnapped the girls aged between four and nine years during a marriage Wednesday night in Nizamabad. The next morning charred bodies of nine-year-old Sri, six-year-old Akshaya and four-year-old Kushi were found on the outskirts of Nizamabad town, about 175 km from here.

The girls, granddaughters of a Congress leader Raghupati Reddy in Dhoopally village of Nizamabad district, were attending the marriage of a relative when Narender kidnapped them. They were daughters of three sons of Raghupati Reddy.

Narender, a nephew of Raghupati, was staying with him since childhood after he lost his father. As Raghupati's three sons got married and settled down, Narender reportedly developed a grudge. He was suffering from financial problems and was also under mental stress over not getting married. Two marriage proposals for him had fallen through.

At the marriage of a relative Thursday, he had reportedly told people that how others were getting married while he remained unwed.

Police said they were investigating whether Narender burnt the girls alive or murdered them before setting afire their bodies.