Driver lured schoolgirl with promise of a shortcut, then raped and killed her: Police

The Class-VII student (15) whose body was recovered from a paddy field in Cumilla, had taken a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Paduar Bazar Bishwa Road to return home, police said.

The driver Sumon Mia (35) took her to an isolated area, claiming that he was taking a shortcut. He then raped and killed her.

Sumon Mia has been arrested in connection with the case, according to Police.

Police said their preliminary investigation indicated that Sumon was solely involved in the rape and murder. During interrogation, Sumon confessed to his involvement in the killing.

An iPhone used by the girl was also recovered based on information he provided.

Pankaj Barua, Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime), disclosed this information at a press conference at the district police office on Saturday. Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Lalmai Police Station and officials from the district police and Detective Branch (DB) were also present.

Sumon was detained in Chattogram on Friday. After the incident, he fled and went into hiding at his brother’s place, police said.

Sumon used to drive a CNG-run auto-rickshaw on a rental basis. His home is in Kachua upazila of Chandpur. However, as he had no land or house of his own there, he lived at his in-laws’ home in Lalmai upazila. He mostly carried passengers at night in Paduar Bazar and nearby areas.

At the press conference, police said the girl got off a bus in the Paduar Bazar Bishwa Road area on the night of 8 October. She then went to look for an auto-rickshaw in front of the Tisha bus counter to return home. At one point, she agreed to pay Tk 300 and got into Sumon’s CNG-run auto-rickshaw.

After travelling a short distance, the girl gave the driver Tk 100. Sumon used the money to buy bananas and bread. He then offered to take her to her destination by a shortcut. The auto-rickshaw proceeded towards Lalmai via Bijra Bazar along the Cumilla-Chandpur road. The driver stopped the vehicle at an isolated, dark spot.

According to police, Sumon attempted to rape the girl. When she screamed, he wrapped a gamchha around her neck. He then took her to a paddy field, where he raped and killed her.

Police claimed that, fearing for her life on the night of the incident, the girl sent her live location to her father’s mobile phone and pleaded for help. Her father did not see the message at the time. He saw it early in the morning and later went to the location, where he found police recovering his daughter’s body.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pankaj Barua said at the press conference that Sumon left the auto-rickshaw at the scene after killing the girl.

He later took a bath in a pond, left the girl’s iPhone in a wooded area and travelled to Chattogram.

The girl’s body was recovered on Thursday morning beside the embankment of a paddy field in Lalmai upazila.