Teenager arrested in Rajshahi for murder of 10-year-old boy over personal grudge

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Rajshahi Metropolitan Police have arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the murder of 10-year-old Adib Ahnaf, a case that had remained unsolved for more than three months. The arrest marks a breakthrough in an investigation that began when the fourth-grade student, son of a local pharmacist, vanished while on his way to evening prayers during the month of Ramadan.

The victim, a resident of Bildharmapur village in Paba, had left his home on the night of March 1 to attend Taraweeh prayers. His body was discovered the following morning in a field in the Kaichapukur area, showing signs of physical trauma and strangulation with his own belt. For weeks, investigators struggled to identify a suspect due to a lack of eyewitnesses or physical evidence, leading the case to be classified as a “clue-less” homicide and sparking public outcry in the community.

Following an extensive investigation utilizing digital forensics and intelligence gathering, the Detective Branch (DB) of the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police identified the teenage suspect. According to police, the suspect confessed to the killing during interrogation and subsequently provided a formal statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before a magistrate on Monday.

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The motive behind the crime, as established by the investigation, stemmed from a personal grievance involving a girl known to the suspect. Authorities stated that Adib had witnessed the suspect in a compromising situation with the girl and reported the incident to her mother. When the information reached the suspect’s family, he faced severe disciplinary action from his own mother, prompting him to seek retribution against the 10-year-old.

Police officials reported that on the night of the incident, the suspect lured Adib to a secluded area under the guise of traveling to the mosque. The suspect allegedly struck the boy on the head before strangling him to death. Deputy Commissioner of the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, Md. Gaziuar Rahman, confirmed that the suspect acted alone in carrying out the premeditated attack.