Thrissur (Kerala) | A youth was arrested on Friday in connection with the alleged murder of a six-year-old boy who had gone missing and was later found dead in a pond near Mala in this district.

Jojo, 20, a resident of Kuzhooor, was taken into custody on Thursday night.

According to the police, the boy was murdered for allegedly resisting a sexual assault attempt by the accused, who is a neighbour of the victim.

The man's arrest was recorded on Friday and he will be produced before the court, they added.

The deceased has been identified as Abel.

The body was found in a pond located in a paddy field near the deceased's house.

The child had gone missing around 6.20 pm on Saturday from a nearby road. His body was found around 9.30 pm during a search conducted by locals and the police.

Initial inquiry suggested that the child was pushed into the pond and killed, police said.

Jojo had previously been involved in a theft case.

Rural District Police Chief B Krishnakumar visited the spot and reviewed the probe.

The body will be shifted to Government Medical College, Thrissur, for conducting a postmortem from the mortuary of a private hospital, at Kuzhikattussery, near here, police said.