Rape and murder suspect killed in C’nawabganj ‘gunfight’

A suspected rapist and murderer of a seven-year-old girl in Chapainawabganj was killed in what law enforcers claimed was a gunfight at Horishpur area of Sadar upazila in the district this evening.

The deceased, Torikul Islam alias Saddam, 32, of Manik Hajir Tola village under the upazila, was the prime suspect in Monday's rape and murder of the minor girl, reports our Chapainawabganj correspondent quoting police.

A police team launched a drive at Bakchar village around 5:45pm to arrest Torikul, said Fazle-e-Khuda, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in Chapainawabganj.

Police later arrested Torikul and he gave a confessional statement to police saying that more people were involved in the incident, he said, adding that after recording his statement, police along with Torikul went to a mango orchard at Horishpur area at around 7:30pm.

Sensing presence of police, Torikul's cohorts opened fire on them, prompting the law enforcers to retaliate, triggering the gun battle, the ASP claimed.

Torikul was hit by a bullet on the spot and was taken to Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital around 9:00pm where doctors declared him dead, he added.

The other accused managed to flee the scene.

Police recovered one pistol, five rounds of bullets from the spot. Three policemen were also injured in the incident, the ASP added.

On Monday afternoon, the seven-year-old girl went missing and later the next morning locals found her body from a bamboo cluster behind MH Government Primary School and informed to police.

Police recovered the body from the spot and sent it to the Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy. She was killed after being raped, police later said.  

Victim's father Ruhul Amin later filed a case in this connection with Sadar Police Station against unidentified persons.