Cumilla Schoolboy Apratim Murder: Charge Sheet Filed Against Four, Including Two Juveniles

Police have submitted a charge sheet against four people, including two juveniles, in the murder case of Ishayat Shahriar, known as Apratim (13), son of Nahida Begum, an associate professor of the Bangla department at Comilla University. The charge sheet was submitted last Tuesday, 31 days after Apratim's body was recovered, completing an important stage of the investigation.

On Thursday night (22 October), district police media officer and Additional Superintendent of Police Lutfar Rahman confirmed the submission of the charge sheet. He said the investigation had found prima facie truth in the allegations against the four accused.

Rajiv Ahmed, inspector (investigation) of Cumilla Sadar Dakshin Model Police Station and the second investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet. The accused named are Saiful Islam alias Tuhin (19), Siam (19), and two juveniles aged 15 and 16.

Police said charges were brought under sections 302, 201 and 34 of the Penal Code 1860. The two juveniles have been mentioned as children under the Children Act, 2013 in the charge sheet.

According to investigators, Tuhin played the leading role in planning the murder, and Siam's involvement in the planning was also found. They face charges of directly taking part in the killing, while Siam also faces charges of planning and aiding the murder. Police further said Tuhin and the two juveniles have given confessional statements in court.

Apratim's father and the case's plaintiff, K M Firoz Shahriar, said the investigation officer phoned him on Thursday night to inform him of the charge sheet. Grieving the loss of his son, Firoz said they had many dreams centred on Apratim, but all have been shattered. He demanded that the trial be completed quickly and the maximum punishment ensured for those responsible.

The incident began on 18 September, when Apratim went missing after leaving his home in the Gandhamati area of Kotbari in Cumilla city. The next day, 19 September, police recovered his body from a secluded forest on Lalmai Hill in Sananda village of Bijoypur union under Sadar Dakshin upazila.

According to investigators, Apratim was taken to the secluded place as part of a plan to steal his iPhone. When he resisted handing over the phone, he was struck on the head with a bamboo stick, which caused his death, police said. Reviewing CCTV footage from various places, investigators identified Tuhin; interrogating him revealed the involvement of the others.

Police also said that based on information given by Tuhin, Apratim's iPhone was recovered from under a mattress at his house. Initially three people including Tuhin were arrested in the killing; later, when Siam's involvement emerged in the investigation, he was also arrested.

Additional Superintendent of Police Lutfur Rahman said the investigation was completed and the charge sheet submitted within the deadline set by the Superintendent of Police. The accused were arrested within 24 hours of the body's recovery, he said, adding that the case was investigated with importance.

However, even after the charge sheet, Apratim's family remains concerned about the real ages of the two juveniles. The family had earlier demanded their ages be determined through DNA testing if necessary. Questions have also been raised among the university's teachers and students. The family said that after receiving a copy of the charge sheet, they will consult their lawyer and take the next legal steps.

Court proceedings did not begin immediately after the charge sheet because of the Durga Puja government holiday. Police sources said court activities are expected to resume from Sunday after the holiday. With the charge sheet submitted, Apratim's family now awaits the start of the trial; they expect that if the accused are proven guilty in court, they will be punished according to law.