A four-year-old girl was allegedly killed by her stepfather here after she asked for a balloon, the minor’s mother claimed here on Tuesday.

“By the time police reached the spot the girl was dead and the accused was found in an injured condition. A case of murder has been registered against the accused and has been detained,” Brijesh Srivastav, Superintendent of Police said.

The family who hailed from Siddharthnagar was living in a rented house in Khuldabad.

“A quarrel broke out between the husband and his wife and the man took his stepdaughter into a room. When police arrived at the spot, the man was found in an unconscious state and the child was dead,” Srivastav added.

The accused is being treated in a hospital here.

“My husband and I were out to buy medicines when my daughter asked for a balloon. My husband started beating her and when I tried to stop him, he pushed me off the bike and took the girl away with him,” said the accused man’s wife.

“He returned at around 10:30 pm and locked himself up in a room. I called the police in the morning and found out that he had killed my daughter and injured himself as well,” she added.