A REWARD has been offered in the hunt for the suspected killer of Hampshire student Hannah Foster - 100 days after her murder.

Hampshire detectives are in the final stages of negotiations with police in India about the details of the proposed reward to capture prime suspect Maninder Pal Singh Kohli.

The 35-year-old sparked an international manhunt after he was identified as the man wanted in connection with Hannah's murder.

Kohli, who flew to Delhi two days after the 17-year-old's body was discovered in a country lane near her Southampton home, remains on the run more than three months later.

The father of two, who worked as a sandwich delivery driver in Southampton, has become one of Britain's most wanted men.

Now the Daily Echo can reveal a "substantial" reward is to be offered for Kohli's capture.

Details are still awaiting approval by Indian police chiefs but it is thought the sum on offer will be at least 500,000 rupees (about £7,100) - more than twice the average salary in the Punjab.

Police are hoping the large amount will persuade someone with knowledge of Kohli's whereabouts to come forward.

Today one of the senior police officers leading the manhunt in the Punjab renewed a promise to catch the suspected killer.

Gurpreet Bhullar, senior superintendent of police in Ropar, said: "This was a heinous crime and we are pooling all our resources to make sure we catch the suspect.

"We have a special team working on this inquiry. We are circulating information to all our districts, and are shortlisting all the suspect's relatives, accomplices and contacts.

"His family have already been questioned very thoroughly and deeply to see if they know where he might be."

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo, Mr Bhullar said police had not ruled out the possibility that Kohli had changed his name, appearance or both. But he said: "We remain confident that we will find him. The reward will be quite a huge amount of money, and hopefully this will encourage someone to come forward."

Today is exactly 100 days since Hannah was murdered, after being abducted just yards from her home in Portswood, Southampton, as she walked back from a night out. Her death prompted Hampshire police to launch one of the county's biggest murder hunts, with more than 100 officers on the case. The investigation, based at Hulse Road divisional police headquarters in Southampton, was scaled down following the identification of the prime suspect, following a tip-off resulting from the BBC's Crimewatch UK programme.

A squad of about 15 officers remain working on the investigation full-time.

Today Det Supt Alan Betts, leading the inquiry, codenamed Operation Springfield, said: "We are carrying on with inquiries this end, with forensic examinations continuing at labs and various statements being taken from people.

"We are also continuing to liaise with the Indian police on a daily basis."

Det Supt Betts said Hampshire detectives would make a return visit to India to complete a number of inquiries in the coming months, but stressed there were no plans for an imminent trip.

Hannah had been walking home from a night out with friends on Friday, March 14 when she was kidnapped near her Grosvenor Road home.

Her strangled body was found dumped in Allington Lane, West End, two days later. Police later confirmed she had been raped.