5-year-old found dead 36 hours after going missing in Patiya, 1 arrested

Police have recovered the body of a five-year-old boy 36 hours after he went missing in Chattogram’s Patiya and arrested a teenage neighbour as the main suspect.

The body of 5-year-old Md Zaihan was found inside a sack in a rubbish dump beside his house in South Gobindar Khil area of Patiya municipality today (18 June).

According to police and family members, the child went missing on Tuesday (16 June) while playing in front of his house. After failing to locate him through a search in the area, the family filed a general diary with Patiya Police Station.

Later that day, a handwritten note was found on a bed inside the house. The note demanded Tk3 lakh in ransom for the child’s return.

Investigation sources said police identified the suspect, Neha, 17, through the handwriting in the note. During questioning, she provided information about the incident.

Md Russell, additional superintendent of police (public relations) of Chattogram District Police, told The Business Standard that several police teams had been working on the case since the general diary was filed.

He said the main suspect had been arrested and that a family dispute had emerged as a possible motive. Police are also investigating whether anyone else was involved.

Police have also detained several people for questioning over allegations of hiding the body and trying to mislead the investigation. However, the identities of those detained could not be disclosed at this stage because the investigation is ongoing, said ASP Russell.

According to the initial investigation, the child was killed after being hit on the head with a hammer. Police believe the note was left at the family’s house to make the incident look like an abduction for ransom.

Based on information provided by the suspect, police recovered the body from a rubbish dump behind her house, where it had been hidden inside a sack.

Family members alleged that the child was abducted for money and later killed by the perpetrators as they feared being caught.

The body has been sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.