Lucknow, Sep 17 - A music teacher in a Gorakhpur school accused of kidnapping and raping a minor girl, Thursday fled from police custody from the district court, officials said.

Kevin Oscar Steel was arrested earlier this month after the girl went missing Aug 15 and a criminal complaint naming him as the abductor was lodged by her parents.

'He (Steel) was presented before the chief judicial magistrate late Thursday afternoon. However, while being taken back to the court's lock-up, he pushed the constable and escaped,' Deputy Inspector General of Police (Gorakhpur) Anand Swaroop, told IANS by phone.

The constable accompanying him, R.S. Mishra, has been suspended and a cash reward of Rs.10,000 has been announced for the policeman who nabs him, he added.

During his interrogation after the arrest, Steel has admitted to exploiting several minor girls in recent years.

'During interrogation he has confessed to exploiting over half a dozen minor girls in the past few years,' Additional Superintendent of Police S.