Schoolboy Killed for iPhone

A 13-year-old schoolboy, Ishtiat Shahriar Opratim, was allegedly killed in Cumilla over his iPhone, police said. Three people have been arrested in connection with the murder, including one adult and two minors, following an analysis of CCTV footage.

Cumilla Police Superintendent Md Anisuzzaman disclosed the information at a press briefing at his office on Sunday, September 20.

The police superintendent said Saiful Islam Tuhin, 19, and two minors were shown arrested in the murder case filed by Opratim’s father, K M Firoz Shahriar. Another young man, Md Siam, 19, has been detained and his alleged involvement is being verified.

According to police, the suspects attempted to snatch Opratim’s iPhone between 5pm and 6pm on Friday in the Sananda area of Lalmai Hill. A struggle reportedly followed. Police said Tuhin struck Opratim on the head with a stick, followed by Fahad and Kamrul, who also allegedly attacked him.

Police said the three left the scene with Opratim’s iPhone after confirming that he had died.

CCTV footage played a key role in the investigation. Police reviewed footage throughout Friday night and saw Opratim heading towards Sananda Hill with a young man. With assistance from local residents, the man was identified as Tuhin, son of Nur Alam of the Sananda area.

Police later raided Tuhin’s home on Saturday night and recovered the iPhone that had been with Opratim.

Police said Tuhin was initially detained after the CCTV analysis and allegedly confessed to the crime during questioning.

Responding to questions about juvenile gangs, the police superintendent said Opratim had an age-disparate friendship with the alleged perpetrators. None of them was his classmate, he said. According to police, some of the suspects had dropped out of educational institutions while others were irregular students.

Opratim’s mother, Dr Nahida Begum, is an associate professor in the Department of Bangla at Cumilla University, while his father is K M Firoz Shahriar. The family lives in the Kotbari-Gandhamati area. Opratim was a seventh-grade student at Cumilla Border Guard Public School.

According to the family, Opratim left home around 3pm on Friday, telling them he was going out with friends to take photographs using his iPhone. He did not return home. After searching for him without success, his father filed a general diary at Sadar Dakshin Police Station that day.

At around 1pm on Saturday, locals found Opratim’s body in the Sananda area of Lalmai Hill, about 2.5 kilometres from Cumilla University.

After his son’s body was found, Opratim’s father had said, “Perhaps the iPhone itself caused his death.” Police said the investigation has since supported that initial suspicion.

The investigation remains ongoing. Police are still verifying Siam’s alleged involvement, while further legal proceedings will follow against the three arrested suspects.
//DBTech/BTO/SME/BPO//