Three suspects have been arrested for their alleged involvement in rape and murder of 15-year-old female student at Sadar upazila in Pabna district.
Victim Riya Khatun's boyfriend Naim (21), son of late Abul Kashem of East Raghavpur area, and his two accomplices -- Yasin Sheikh (19), son of Shafik Sheikh and Tuhin Pramanik (17), son of Shimul Pramanik of the same area -- were arrested on Wednesday (June 3), said Pabna's additional police super Rezinur Rahman.
Earlier at about 10:00am on Wednesday (June 3), local farmers spotted a floating sack near the riverbank and alerted the police. Police recovered the body from the river Padma at Balarampur area of Varara union under the upazila and sent it to Pabna General Hospital morgue, where family members identified Riya Khatun, daughter of Azizul Pramanik, of village East Raghavpur in Varara union, by a silver necklace.
Police said Riya Khatun (15), a student of Class IX at local Maulana Kasim Uddin High School, was the daughter of Azizul Pramanik of village East Raghavpur in Varara union under Pabna Sadar upazila. She went her boyfriend Naim's house at the same East Raghavpur area at about 11:00am on Tuesday (June 2). A heated argument broke out there between the two after Riya sought an amount she lent Naim earlier. At one stage, Naim brutally raped Riya during the altercation and subsequently strangled her to death. Then he covered Riya's body with a bedsheet keeping on his bed and called in his two friends -- Yasin and Tuhin. To destroy evidence, Naim and two accomplices tied Riya's hands and placed her body into a sack. Late on Tuesday night, they put the body in a white private car and dumped it into the Padma River near Balrampur.
On their return, the suspects' car broke down, raising suspicion and providing a vital lead for investigators.
Later, using CCTV footage and information technology, and local intel, police arrested the three suspects within 24 hours.
END/CORRESPONDENT/ASA
