Kanpur (UP) | An 11-year-old girl missing since Monday was found buried in a wheat field with signs of sexual assault in Bidhnu near here, triggering outrage and panic in the locality, police said on Wednesday.

The family members have accused a neighbour of committing the crime, who the police have detained for questioning.

The Class-5 student had gone to graze goats with her elder sister on Monday afternoon. Her sister, who returned home briefly for some work, could not find her when she went back to the field, prompting a frantic search by family members and villagers.

A missing person's complaint was lodged at the Bidhnu police station, but the girl could not be traced during overnight searches.

On Tuesday, her body was found buried about 500 metres from her house, after some villagers noticed freshly disturbed soil in a wheat field and dug the spot.

Police said the girl was found bare-chested with multiple injury marks, with initial post-mortem findings suggesting sexual assault followed by murder.

Forensic evidence, including nail scrapings and DNA samples, has been preserved for detailed examination, police said.

Police have also found mud-stained clothes from the house of the neighbour they have detained, which have been sent for forensic analysis.

Tension flared in the village following the discovery of the body, with angry residents briefly blocking police from taking it for a post-mortem, demanding immediate justice.

Multiple teams headed by senior officers, including DCP (South) Deependra Chowdry, have been formed to crack the case, ACP (Law and Order) Vipin Tada said.

"Key evidence has been collected, and one suspect has been detained. The case will be solved soon," the ACP added.