Bhubaneswar: Expressing grief and concern over the incident of rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Mayurbhanj district, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for next of kin of the deceased.

Patnaik also ordered for speedy trial of the 'heinous' case and conveyed his deep sympathy to family of the victim.

"Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expresses grief & concern and conveys his deep sympathy to family of the minor victim of Moroda in Mayurbhanj District. He has ordered speedy trial of this heinous case and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for next of kin of the minor girl child," the Chief Minister's Office tweeted.

Notably, a 27-year-old person was arrested today for allegedly raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl at Garudabasa village under Betnoti police limits in Mayurbhanj district.

According to police sources, Jamini Mahanta, the accused, took the girl on a ride on his bicycle yesterday afternoon on the pretext of dropping her at a nearby village, where a function on the occasion of Raja festival was going on.

Unable to know her whereabouts, the girl’s family members searched for her in and around the village. Some villagers who had seen Mahanta with the minor girl reported the incident to her family members.

Suspecting foul play, locals then detained Mahanta, tied him to a tree and thrashed him suspecting his involvement in the missing of the girl following which he confessed to raping and killing her.

On being informed, police reached the spot and arrested the accused. The body of the girl was recovered this morning from a forest near the village. It has been sent for post-mortem.