The boy’s missing phone and evidence from surveillance footage become key leads as police question three detained youths
Published : 20 Sep 2026, 12:02 AM
A phone call, a meeting at a university gate and a trail captured on CCTV are helping investigators piece together Ishayat Shahriar Apratim’s final hours.
Comilla University Vice-Chancellor MM Shariful Karim said a man identified only as Tuhin had called the 13-year old Apratim on his mobile phone and lured him out.
Teachers began reviewing CCTV footage around the university after Apratim, the son of Bangla teacher Nahida Begum, had gone missing.
While examining footage on Saturday, they spotted him at the university gate around 3:30pm on Friday with an older boy wearing a cap, whose movements appeared suspicious.
“We identified him as Tuhin after informing police and speaking to locals. An assistant proctor-led team went to his home. Another CCTV recording showed Tuhin with Apratim, making him the main suspect,” the VC said.
“Tuhin’s speech was incoherent, and after searching his phone, we found that he had repeatedly urged Apratim to leave home.”
Apratim had left his rented home in Gandhamati, Kotbari, carrying his mother’s iPhone and saying he would take pictures with friends. He never returned, prompting his father to file a general diary.
Around 1pm on Saturday, police recovered his body from secluded woodland in Sananda village under Bijoypur Union.
Police said he had injuries to his head. The iPhone was missing.
Apratim was a seventh grader at Border Guard Public School.
Kotbari Police Outpost chief Mofiz Uddin Bhuiya said CCTV footage showed Tuhin with Apratim, leading to his detention.
“Based on information from questioning Tuhin, Anas and Fahim Ahmed were detained. Both are being questioned.”
