Security forces have arrested Mongsanu Marma, a youth commander of the regional political party United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF, Prasit group), along with weapons and documents during a military operation in the remote hills following the recovery of a partially decomposed body of 14-year-old Mohammad Sohail twelve days after his abduction in Manikchhari, Khagrachhari.
A military press release identified Mongsanu as the commander of UPDF’s Guimara zone in Sindukchhari area and the “mastermind behind the abduction”.
Police confirmed six arrests in connection with the madrasa student’s kidnapping and murder, with Mongsanu being the latest apprehended by the army on Saturday.
The military stated that on July 17, joint patrols of police and army recovered Sohail’s bound and decomposed body with hands, legs and mouth tied in Manikchhari upazila. UPDF (Prasit) had earlier abducted the boy demanding ransom.
In a pre-dawn operation Saturday based on intelligence, armed militants opened fire at army patrols in Gachchabil area of the same upazila. The UPDF commander was later captured injured.
Search operations yielded a locally-made pistol with three rounds of ammunition and important UPDF documents including extortion receipts, the release added.
Local sources said Sohail went missing on July 4 night while returning home in Chadurkhil area of Butonatli Union No 2. The seventh grader at Shahanshah Haq Bhandari Sunnia Dakhil Madrasa had his grandfather Abdul Rahim receive a Tk5,00,000 ransom demand from unidentified callers.
Following a kidnapping case naming five suspects, joint forces arrested Sambu Kumar Tripura (36), Main Uddin (21) and Mohammad Yasin Mia (28) who confessed involvement during interrogation but couldn’t locate the victim.
Sohail’s body was ultimately recovered from a stream in Budongpara area last Wednesday.