A 26-year old software engineer has been taken into custody in connection with the murder of a 21-year old girl who was reported missing a week ago from her house in Velandipalayam in the city.

Based on the complaint from the parents of Ruksana, who had been reported missing from October 16, police started investigation leading to a software engineer Prashanth of Saravanampatti in the city tracing her last call on the mobile number, police said.

During interrogation, Prashanth is said to have confessed killing Ruksana and burying her body. He claimed that he was in love with her.

Police said that Prashanth along with the girl had gone on a trip to Kallar on the Coimbatore-Nilgiris border. When Ruksana started quarreling with him, Prashant, in a fit anger, slapped her. She swooned and fell on a rock and died instantaneously, he said.

He immediately buried the body and, to hide her identity, placed a put a big stone on her face, he is said to have told the police.

A special police team took Prashanth to the spot and exhumed the body, which was brought to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for post mortem. Investigation is on.