Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 20 (IANS): The body of a missing 16-year-old girl was found hanging from a tree in a forest area in Sambhal district.

The girl had eloped with her neighbour 18-year-old Arjun Kumar on Wednesday night and the police found the body on Thursday night.

The accused has been arrested and a case for murder has been registered against him on a complaint lodged by the girl's father.

The body has been sent for post mortem.

Gunnaur Circle Officer Krishna Kant Saroj said, "The girl's father has alleged that her daughter was abducted by the accused and later killed in a forest area. We have booked the accused for murder and have detained him.

"During questioning, he said that he had attempted to kill himself along with the girl but was saved because of the loose rope. He confessed that he could not gather the courage to kill himself later. We will continue to investigate and the accused will be sent to jail soon."

According to the police, the girl was a student of Class 9 and was said to be in a relationship with the accused, who is a student of Class 10.

The girl's family wanted her to continue her studies while the accused was forcing her for marriage. The family members of the girl were also against the relationship.

Meetings had been held between the two families in the presence of village elders, to resolve the issue but the efforts proved futile.