The accused, Kanakam Shiva, allegedly committed the crime to avenge the death of his brother who had killed himself recently.
According to Jayashankar Bhupalpally deputy SP P Ravi Kumar, Shiva suspected that the girl's father had "spoiled" his brother's lover affair due to which the latter killed himself by consuming pesticide.
"In a bid to avenge his brother's death, Shiva lured the child under some pretext on December 4 evening and then allegedly raped her before strangulating her to death on the outskirts of Gorikottapally village," the officer said.