Cumilla: Police today said they arrested three suspects over the shocking murder of 13-year-old seventh grade schoolboy Ishiyat Shahriar Opratim while a manhunt was underway for the assailants. Assistant Superintendent of Police (Sadar South Circle) Mostain Billah Ferdous confirmed the matter this evening.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the suspects were detained based on information obtained through CCTV footage analysis and preliminary interrogation. The arrestees are Tuhin, Anas, and Fahim Ahmed. ASP Mostain Billah explained that after Opratim went missing, CCTV footage from the main gate of Cumilla University and surrounding areas was reviewed. The footage showed a young man named Tuhin with Opratim, leading to his detention as a suspect.
Based on information obtained during Tuhin's interrogation, Anas and Fahim Ahmed were also detained. Opratim was the only son of Cumilla University's Bangla Department Associate Professor and writer Dr. Nahida Begum. Cumilla-6 lawmaker Monirul Haque Chowdhury visited the bereaved family and assured them of exemplary punishment for the culprits, offering consolation for their irreparable loss.
Police recovered Opratim's body from a jungle in the South Mor area of Kotbari in Cumilla at midday today and sent it to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for autopsy, a day after he went missing. Additional SP Lutfur Rahman said he went to the scene along with a police squad, including detectives, upon receiving the information and recovered the body from the spot.
According to preliminary police information, assailants might have killed Opratim for the expensive mobile phone of his mother, which he was carrying when he left his home in Kotbari's Gandhamati area around 3 pm on Friday. After failing to find her son, Dr. Nahida made a post on Facebook on Friday night seeking public assistance, detailing his description, including clothing, and informing police of the then missing information.
Police said the location of Opratim's mobile phone was traced to the Gandhamati area until 6:15 pm on Friday, after which no further location could be detected. The family subsequently filed a general diary (GD) with Sadar South Police Station. His body was recovered from a jungle in the Kotbari area around noon on Saturday.