New Delhi, (IANS): A nine-year-old girl who was raped by a 42-year-old man two days ago in east Delhi's Khajoori Khas area, died in a hospital on Wednesday.

Police said the child's attacker, identified as Muneer, a next door neighbor, has been arrested, but the girl died in the morning.

"The incident took place on Monday around 6.30 p.m. when the girl, who studies in Class III, was playing in front of her house," a police official said.

"Muneer approached them and lured her on the pretext of showing something unique. He then gagged her mouth and took her to a nearby secluded place, where he allegedly raped her," the official said.

"After the girl complained of fever and headache to her parents, they took her to nearby Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. After preliminary investigation it was confirmed by the doctors that she was raped and the police were informed," the official added.

Police registered a case under Sections 376 (Punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 3/4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, 2012 (POCSO) at Khajoori Khas police station.