6-yr-old killed, body hidden in pond mud

The body of six-year-old Muntaha Akhter Jarin, who went missing on November 3, was recovered from a pond near her home in Bhararifoud village of Sylhet’s Kanaighat upazila early yesterday.

Alok Kanti Sharma, assistant superintendent of police of Kanaighat circle in Sylhet, said her body was hidden in the mud of a pond and her hands and feet were tied.

Police have detained Muntaha’s former private tutor and neighbour, mother of the private tutor, and two others in connection with the murder.

After the body was found, locals vandalised, looted, and torched the neighbour’s home, said the police official.

On November 3, Muntaha went out to play with other children in the afternoon. She was last seen around 3:00pm that day.

The girl’s family lodged a missing person report on November 5.

Muntaha’s father, Shamim Ahmed, even offered a reward for information leading to her being found.

On Saturday night, police detained Muntaha’s former tutor Shamima Begum Marjia for questioning. Later, police also questioned Marjia’s grandmother Kutubjan Begum.

Based on their information, police requested locals to look for the body near their home.

Around 4:00am yesterday, Aliajan Bibi, Marjia’s mother, was seen trying to move Muntaha’s body to another pond, leading to the recovery of her body.

Police have so far arrested Marjia, Aliajan, and locals Islam Uddin, and Nazma Begum.

Alok said their preliminary findings indicate that Muntaha was killed over family feud.

Hundreds of people surrounded the house of the detained women and vandalised, looted, and set fire to the house, Alok told The Daily Star.

Muntaha’s father Shamim said, “She [Marjia] was Muntaha’s private tutor … She was vindictive because we asked her not to teach Muntaha anymore because of her bad behaviour.”

Muntaha was laid to rest at a local graveyard after an autopsy and namaz-e-janaza which hundreds of grief-stricken people participated.

Selim Ahmed, member of Kanaighat Sadar Union Parishad, who attended the namaz-e-janaza, said, “For almost a week, people of this neighbourhood had been looking for the sweet little girl. The had been anxious. The thing they feared the most has happened. The grieving community gathered here today [yesterday] to say goodbye to the little child.”

All four detainees are sent to jail after they were produced before a Sylhet court yesterday.

Mahbubur Rahman, superintendent of Sylhet police, said, “We tried hard to find out what happened to the little child … No one connected to the murder will be spared.”