Mahoba (Uttar Pradesh), Jan 19 (IANS): Three persons have been booked for allegedly raping and killing a Dalit girl, whose body was found hanging from a tree.

"The 18-year-old had left home to buy vegetables on Sunday afternoon but did not return. Later, her family members found her body hanging from a tree in the Belatal area," Circle Officer Rampravesh Rai said.

The victim's mother filed a complaint and an FIR was registered against three men on Monday for allegedly raping and killing the Dalit teenager.

Kulpahad police station in charge, Ravindra Tiwari said that the FIR was registered against Rohit, Bhupendra and Tarun on charges of rape and murder and under the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The matter is being investigated but no arrest has so far been made. The post mortem report is awaited.

The deceased's aunt told the police that she was being harassed by a man in their locality, who was making phone calls to her for the last one month.