Child Found Dead in Rice Mill Boiler Water Pond in Mahadebpur

The body of a 12-year-old boy was recovered from a boiler water pond at a rice mill in Mahadebpur upazila of Naogaon on Saturday night, several days after he went missing.

The deceased was identified as Real Islam, 12, son of Faruk Hossain Bachchu of Khordda Kalna village in Khajur Union of the upazila. His body was recovered from the premises of Tanzida Auto Rice Mill in Kunjaban at around 8pm on Saturday (1 August).

According to local sources, Real had a mental health condition and lived with his maternal grandparents in the village because his parents were staying in Dhaka. He reportedly went missing at around 11am on Wednesday. His disappearance prompted his family and local residents to search the surrounding areas, but their efforts initially failed to locate him.

The search took a tragic turn on Saturday evening when local people reportedly noticed a sandal floating in a pond containing hot water from the rice mill’s boiler. Suspecting that it might belong to the missing child, they informed the Fire Service and Civil Defence.

A rescue team from the Mahadebpur Fire Service and Civil Defence subsequently arrived at the site. The operation was led by acting Station Officer Md Abul Kashem. After searching the boiler water pond, rescuers recovered Real’s body in a submerged condition at around 8pm.

The incident has raised concern among local residents, particularly because the child had reportedly been missing for several days before his body was found. The circumstances in which he reached the rice mill premises and entered the hot water pond were not immediately clear.

Boiler water ponds at rice mills can contain extremely hot water generated during industrial operations, making them potentially dangerous areas without adequate safety measures and restricted access. However, officials have not yet confirmed how Real came to be in the pond or whether his death resulted from an accidental fall.

The recovery of the child’s body has left his family and relatives devastated. Local residents also expressed shock over the incident, as the search for the missing boy had continued for several days before the discovery.

Mahadebpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Omar Faruk said preparations were under way to file an unnatural death case over the incident. Police are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance and death as part of the legal process.

The exact cause and manner of Real’s death will be determined through the investigation and any relevant medical examination. Authorities are also expected to assess the circumstances at the rice mill as they work to establish how the child entered the boiler water pond.