Mangal Halpati, a farm labourer, lured the two-year-old girl to his house this afternoon and raped her, sub-inspector, Gandevi station, D S Soni, said.
When villagers got to know about it, they stormed into his house and rescued the girl, he added.
Halpati fled to escape the villagers and jumped into a pond. "But eventually he was captured by the angry mob. They thrashed him mercilessly and he died shortly after being admitted to a hospital in Navsari," the police officer said.
"We will also file FIR against those involved in killing Halpati. Further investigations are on," added Soni.