Police have recovered the body of a 13-year-old schoolgirl from beside a paddy field in Lalmai, Cumilla, with officers suspecting that she may have been murdered.
The deceased has been identified as Jannatuttajmin, a Class Seven student at Farida Bidyayatan School in Cumilla city. She was the daughter of Abdul Alim, a resident of Chhatian Tala village in Jashore Sadar.
Police recovered her body from a paddy field in Jagatpur village of Lalmai upazila on Thursday (8 October). A CNG-powered auto-rickshaw found lying nearby was also seized during the operation.
Local residents alerted police after noticing the body in the area on Thursday morning. Officers subsequently went to the scene and recovered the teenager’s body. It was later sent to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Lalmai Police Station, confirmed the recovery and said there were visible injury marks on the body.
“Initial evidence suggests that she may have been murdered,” he said, adding that the identity of those responsible and the circumstances surrounding the death had not yet been established.
Jannatuttajmin had been living with her family in the Race Course area of Cumilla city for a considerable period. Her father works for a pharmaceutical company, and the family had moved to Cumilla because of his employment. Despite their roots in Jashore, the teenager was studying at a school in Cumilla.
The recovery of the body from an agricultural area and the discovery of the auto-rickshaw nearby have added to the questions being examined by investigators. Police have not yet confirmed whether the vehicle was connected to the teenager’s death. Its presence at the scene is being considered as part of the investigation.
At this stage, police have also not identified who may have been responsible for the teenager’s death or established a clear motive. Investigators are examining the circumstances in which she reached the area and how she died.
The post-mortem examination is expected to provide further information about the nature of her injuries and the circumstances of her death. Police said the findings would be considered alongside other evidence collected during the investigation.
Mizanur Rahman said several police teams were working to establish what happened. Investigators are also attempting to identify those involved and determine whether the seized auto-rickshaw has any connection with the incident.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details about the investigation. Police said more information would be provided once significant progress had been made and the circumstances surrounding the death became clearer.
