The disturbing discovery has caused considerable alarm among residents in the area, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the death and how the remains came to be found in the river.
According to local sources, residents first noticed what appeared to be a human torso floating in the river with the incoming tide on Tuesday evening. Shocked by the sight, they immediately informed the Majhirghat River Police Outpost.
A police team subsequently rushed to the location, retrieved the floating remains from the water and brought them ashore for examination.
Following an initial inspection, police said the remains were believed to belong to a male. However, identifying the individual proved difficult because the head, both arms and both legs were missing. The torso was also partially decomposed, suggesting that it had remained in the water for some time.
The condition of the remains has raised suspicions of a possible murder. Investigators are considering whether the body was deliberately dismembered before being dumped in the river to conceal the victim’s identity and destroy potential evidence. However, the circumstances have yet to be established, and the suspicion has not been confirmed by forensic findings.
Kankan Kumar Biswas, officer-in-charge of the Majhirghat River Police Outpost, confirmed the recovery. He said police had acted on information provided by local residents and managed to retrieve the remains from the bank of the Padma.
According to the officer, only the main part of the body, or torso, was found intact. After the initial inquest and necessary formalities, the remains were sent to the morgue at Shariatpur Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The examination is expected to provide important clues about the circumstances of the death, including the possible cause and an estimate of how long ago the person died. Forensic findings may also help investigators establish whether the remains bear evidence of injuries or other indications of a violent death.
Police have so far been unable to establish the victim’s identity. As part of the investigation, officers are checking missing-person reports lodged at police stations in neighbouring areas. They are attempting to determine whether anyone recently reported missing could match the unidentified victim.
Identifying the remains is considered a crucial step in establishing what happened and tracing those responsible, if a criminal act is confirmed.
Investigators are also expected to examine the circumstances in which the remains entered the river and whether the location where they were recovered was connected to the original incident. The recovery site alone does not establish where the death occurred.
The discovery has renewed concern among local residents, particularly because of the condition in which the remains were found. Police say the investigation is continuing, with the post-mortem report and efforts to establish the victim’s identity expected to play a central role in uncovering the circumstances surrounding the incident.
