Apratim Murder Suspects Confessed, Says Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed

The suspects detained in the murder of 13-year-old Ishayat Shahriar Apratim have confessed to the crime, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Sunday (20 September).

Police have detained four suspects in connection with the murder, with three arrested on Saturday and another on Sunday, the home minister said at a press briefing at the Secretariat.

"The latest count is three people were arrested yesterday and one today. And they have confessed to the crime. Now the remaining legal process is ongoing," he said.

Salahuddin said police had also recovered evidence, including Apratim's mobile phone, which was found in the possession of one of the suspects, identified as Tuhin. Forensic analysis of the evidence is underway.

He said two of the suspects were believed to be over 18, while another might be a minor. Their national identity documents were still being verified.

According to the minister, the suspects were associated with a juvenile crime group and had been acquainted with Apratim. He said the suspects were around five to 10 years older than the victim.

Police are also examining further legal procedures, including whether statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure can be recorded.

Salahuddin praised the police for making the arrests and recovering evidence within a short time.

"We hope that, like the trial of the Ramisa murder, we will be able to conclude the trial of this murder in a short time. The court will deliver the verdict; we will cooperate by completing all our legal procedures and submitting the charge sheet," he said.

Apratim, the only child of Comilla University Bangla Department Associate Professor Dr Nahida Nahid and KM Firoz Shahriar, was buried at the family graveyard in Cumilla on Sunday.

A seventh-grade student at Border Guard Public School, Apratim left his home in the Kotbari area around 3:30pm on Friday (18 September) with his mother's iPhone to take photographs with friends. He did not return home.

His family searched for him in several places that evening, while his father filed a general diary with Sadar Dakshin Police Station.

Police recovered his body from a jungle in the Sananda area, south of the south intersection in Cumilla's Kotbari, on Saturday afternoon. Police said there were severe injury marks on his head.

Based on CCTV footage, police initially detained Tuhin, who had been with Apratim since the afternoon. Later, based on information obtained during questioning, two more youths, Anas and Fahim Ahmed, were detained.

Police had not officially confirmed their involvement in the murder at that stage.

The home minister's remarks on Sunday came as police continued the legal process in the case.