Visakhapatnam, Nov 1 (IANS): A 17-year-old girl was brutally killed by a youth who slit her throat with a knife on a crowded street in this coastal city on Saturday night.

The youth resorted to the attack following a heated argument with her. The accused was apparently angry over the girl rejecting his advances.

Varalakshmi, a student of 12th standard, died of excessive bleeding, police said.

The police have arrested Akhil, a law student, who killed the girl after calling her near Saibaba temple at Sundarayya Colony in Gajuwaka area.

The accused, who fled after the attack, was later arrested by the police.

The police are on lookout for another youth who allegedly helped Akhil in the attack.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the family of the victim.

Taking a serious note of the incident, he directed the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and the Intelligence chief to take serious action against the accused.

Reddy directed state home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita, Disha special officers Krutika Shukla and Deepika Patil to immediately visit the family of the victim to offer deep condolences.

The Chief Minister said that awareness should be created among women so that every woman download Disha app for their safety. Especially, efforts should be made to educate school and college girls to compulsorily download the app, he said.

Reddy directed the officials to take stern action against perpetrators of atrocities against women. He asked the officials to take immediate action as and when they get a distress call from any woman claiming threat to her life.