A tragic incident in Gomostapur has sent shockwaves through the local community after the body of a six-year-old girl, missing for two days, was recovered from a rice field on Sunday (5 April).
The victim, identified as Sharifa Khatun, was found in a paddy field in the Bijli Para area of Alinagar Union. She had reportedly been missing since Friday, prompting her family to lodge a general diary (GD) with Gomostapur Police Station on Saturday after extensive but unsuccessful searches.
Police later confirmed the arrest of the child’s brother-in-law, identified as Antor, in connection with the incident.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Friday | Sharifa Khatun goes missing after visiting relative’s home |
| Saturday | Family files missing report (GD) with police |
| Sunday (afternoon) | Body recovered from rice field in Bijli Para |
| Post-recovery | Brother-in-law detained for questioning |
According to the victim’s grandfather, Abdul Karim, the child had gone with her brother-in-law to attend a family visit at the home of another relative. He alleged that she was killed sometime in the afternoon before her body was dumped in a nearby rice field.
“She went with her brother-in-law to her uncle’s house for a visit. After noon, she was brutally killed and her body was left in the paddy field,” he claimed, expressing deep grief and shock over the incident.
He further said that when the child did not return home, the family launched a frantic search throughout the area. A religious gathering, locally known as a tafsir mahfil, was also taking place nearby on Friday night, during which announcements were made over loudspeakers seeking information about the missing girl.
Despite the efforts, no trace of the child was found until Sunday afternoon, when police recovered the body following information obtained during interrogation of the detained suspect.
Local Union Parishad Chairman Abul Kashem Muhammad Masum confirmed that police recovered the body from the scene and transported it for further examination.
Officer-in-Charge of Gomostapur Police Station, Nur-e-Alam, stated that the investigation began after a missing person report was filed. He confirmed that the victim’s brother-in-law was taken into custody for questioning and later provided information that led investigators to the location of the body.
“Based on the general diary, we detained the brother-in-law for interrogation. Following his statement, the body was recovered from a rice field in Bijli Para area of Alinagar Union,” he said.
He added that further legal procedures are underway and that the case is being treated with utmost seriousness.
The incident has sparked grief and anger in the locality, with residents calling for a thorough investigation and swift justice. Authorities have assured that all aspects of the case are being examined, including the circumstances leading up to the child’s disappearance and death.