Autodriver’s Head Found After Five Days

In a chilling development that has deepened public shock in Manikganj, the severed head of auto-rickshaw driver Rafiq Mia, aged 27, has been recovered five days after his decapitated body was found on the bank of the Kaliganga River.

The head was discovered on Sunday morning (29 March) in a maize field adjacent to the riverside area of Dighulia in the district’s Sadar upazila. According to police, a local farmer first spotted the remains while working in his field and immediately alerted authorities. Officers from the Banijuri investigation centre later recovered the head and sent it to Manikganj Medical College Hospital for forensic examination.

Police officials believe the head was originally disposed of in the river along with the body and later drifted ashore before being carried into the field, possibly by stray animals.

The case has already taken a disturbing turn following earlier discoveries. On Wednesday, the torso of Rafiq Mia was recovered from the riverbank without his head, triggering widespread concern and outrage in the local community.

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) confirmed that the victim was brutally murdered in a premeditated attack. PBI Superintendent Jayita Shilpi stated that Rafiq was killed by having his throat slit, after which his head was separated from the body and disposed of in the river. She added that forensic analysis is required to conclusively confirm the identity of the recovered head.

Arrests and Investigation Progress

Investigators have already arrested three individuals in connection with the killing: Ripon Mia (30), Arman Hossain (20), and Sajib Hossain (25). All three are believed to have been closely associated with the victim.

According to police findings, the victim and Ripon Mia were close acquaintances. Investigators allege that the murder was motivated by a plan to seize and sell Rafiq’s battery-powered auto-rickshaw. On the day of the incident, Rafiq was allegedly lured to the riverbank under the pretext of smoking cannabis. There, he was first struck on the head with a hammer before being fatally attacked with a sharp weapon. His body parts were then dumped into the river.

Following the murder, Ripon reportedly took the victim’s vehicle to Savar, where it was later recovered by law enforcement from a garage based on information provided during interrogation.

All three accused later provided confessional statements under Section 164 before a court, admitting their involvement in the crime. They have since been sent to prison.

Sub-Inspector Pulk Kumar Das confirmed that the recovered head was found by a farmer who had been harvesting maize near the riverbank. He added that natural drift and possible animal activity may have contributed to its movement from the river to the field.

Public anger over the brutal killing has continued to grow, with local residents staging a protest demanding the death penalty for those involved. The investigation remains ongoing as forensic results are awaited to confirm key evidence in the case.