A man who chopped a 16-year-old girl's head and fled with it after their proposed marriage was put off was found dead on Friday in Hammiyala village, Madikeri taluka, of Karnataka's Kodagu district.

Prakash, 32, chopped off the head 16-year-old girl in Surlabbi village of Madikeri taluka and fled carrying the severed head with him, police said

According to police, the girl had just completed her SSLC this year and her engagement was fixed with Prakash on Thursday.

However, someone informed the Child Helpline number and officials from the Child Welfare Department reached the girl, Meena's house and counselled both the families saying that if they went ahead with the marriage, it would attract provisions of the POCSO Act and Child Marriage Act, according to a news agency PTI report.

Both families then agreed that only after Meena attained the age of 18 she would marry Prakash. The officials and the groom's family then left the place.

Man Flees With Girl's Severed Head

On Thursday, at around 5.30 pm, Prakash barged into Meena's house, kicked her father and assaulted her mother with a sharp-edged weapon, generally used for cutting trees, Superintendent of Police (Kodagu), Ramarajan K, told PTI.

Prakash then dragged the girl outside for about 100 metres, chopped off her head and fled the scene with it, the officer said.

The victim has three sisters and two brothers and she was the youngest, police added.

The victim's father and mother were admitted to a hospital where the woman was treated for her injuries. Her father did not receive any visible cut injuries, he said.

While Prakash was absconding, a case was registered against him under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act.

Prakash was found dead on Friday, however, the girl's severed head is yet to be recovered.