An eight-year-old girl was found dead in a maize field in Manikganj Sadar upazila on Thursday, triggering a violent vigilante attack that left two suspected offenders dead and another critically injured.
The victim, Atika, daughter of Dudul Mia, went missing around 5:00pm from the Banparil (Kandurpar Bridge) area in Hatipara union, police and local sources said.
Following her disappearance, family members and locals launched a search operation using social media and loudspeaker announcements, but were unable to trace her whereabouts.
At around 10pm, local residents discovered Atika’s body in a maize field near her home. Her hands and feet were reportedly tied. Preliminary findings suggest she may have been killed over her gold earrings and necklace.
Following the recovery of the body, an angry crowd detained three suspects—auto-rickshaw driver Pannu Mia, 35, his son Nazmul, 20, and his brother Fazlu, 28. The mob then assaulted them, leaving Pannu Mia and Fazlu dead at the scene. Nazmul was rescued in critical condition and taken to hospital.
Police from Manikganj Sadar Police Station arrived at the scene to bring the situation under control. Officer-in-Charge Md. Ikram Hossain confirmed that the child’s body had been sent for an autopsy.
He added that legal action would be taken against those responsible for the murder as well as individuals involved in the mob lynching.
Additional police have been deployed in the area, and the situation is now reported to be under control.
