‘Murderer’ Joins Family in Search, Shares Tea with Father

The police have apprehended three members of a neighbouring family in connection with the abduction and murder of a five-year-old boy, Md Jaihan, in the Patiya Municipality of Chittagong. The minor had been missing since Tuesday afternoon. Following a rigorous police interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime, leading law enforcement officials to recover the victim’s body, concealed inside a sack, from a rubbish heap behind their residence late on Wednesday night.

Disappearance, Ransom demand, and Investigation

The victim, Md Jaihan, was the youngest child and only son of Md Shahgahan and Zobaida Begum, residing in the South Gobindarkhil East Para area within Ward 8 of Patiya Municipality. Following his sudden disappearance on Tuesday afternoon, his family lodged a general diary (GD) with the Patiya Police Station. Subsequently, a handwritten note was delivered to the family demanding a ransom of 300,000 BDT for his release.

The investigation gained momentum when investigators cross-referenced the handwriting on the ransom note. On Wednesday afternoon, police detained three immediate neighbours: Md Saifuddin, his wife Shanu Akhter, and their 19-year-old daughter Sadia Sultana. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the murder and directed officers to the location where Jaihan’s body had been hidden.

Deceptive Conduct of the Primary Accused

Before their detention, the primary suspect, Md Saifuddin, actively attempted to deflect suspicion by participating in the search operations alongside the victim’s family. He assisted relatives in searching various locations, including a nearby pond. Furthermore, Saifuddin sat and consumed tea with the victim’s father, Md Shahgahan, showing no outward signs of involvement.

The victim’s mother, Zobaida Begum, stated that the families had been neighbours for approximately 15 years, which prevented them from suspecting Saifuddin’s involvement. She also recalled hearing a distant cry of “Oh mother” during the search, but when she questioned if it was Jaihan, the neighbours assured her it belonged to another child.

Motive and Legal Action

At a press briefing in Chittagong, the District Superintendent of Police, Md Masud Alam, revealed that the breakthrough occurred when investigators matched the handwriting on the ransom note with that of Saifuddin’s daughter, Sadia Sultana.

Regarding the motive, Ziaul Haque, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Patiya Police Station, disclosed that Saifuddin was embroiled in a long-standing land dispute with his paternal cousin, who was also a neighbour. Saifuddin orchestrated the abduction and murder of the child specifically to frame his cousin for the capital offence. Preliminary examinations revealed distinct trauma marks on the victim’s head, consistent with being struck by a heavy object or hammer. A formal case is currently being filed, and public demonstrations demanding justice took place on Thursday morning near the Patiya police precinct.

Summary of Crime Specifications

The verified details concerning the abduction, operational timeline, and suspects are organised in the table below: