MARDAN: The body of a four-year-old girl was found in sugar cane fields in Mardan, Geo News reported Monday morning.

The DPO informed that the minor was strangled to death, adding that there were torture marks on the body.

According to the police, the girl had gone missing after she left her house a day earlier. The police have also formed an investigation team to probe the incident.

The body was handed over to the girl?s parents after post-mortem, according to the DPO. The minor?s family said that the girl has been laid to rest in Gujjar Garhi village. 

The incident comes at a time when the nation is engaging in an effort to break taboos surrounding the topic of child abuse, a conversation started by recent rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab in Kasur. 

As soon as the case was reported, it led to national outrage and violent protests by citizens in Kasur in which two demonstrators were killed.