Verdict announced in abduction and murder case of two children in Tangail

A court in Tangail has sentenced three people to death, three to imprisonment till death and three to lifetime imprisonment, for abducting and killing two children. Each of the accused has also been fined Tk one lakh.

Tangail Additional District and Sessions Judge Saud Hasan announced the verdict at around 11:45 am on Monday.

The convicts sentenced to death are, Bahadur Mia, son of Shamsul Haque of Charhat village in Dhamrai upazila; Milton, son of Tara Mia of the same village; and Rony Mia, son of Bashed Mia of Sujalilja village in Mirzapur upazila.

Those who are to serve till death are, Abdul Malek, son of Shahadat Hossain of Amrail Telipara village in Mirzapur upazila; Zahirul Islam, son of Mamrej of Shaswadharpatti village; and Shahnur Shaha, son of Afsar Uddin of Char Chauhat village.

The three sentenced to life imprisonment are, Shamim Mia, son of Afsar Uddin of Char Chauhat village; Arif, son of Tazel Miah of the same village; and Zakir Hossain, son of Jabbar Mallick of Amrail Telipara village in Mirzapur. Among them, Arif, 28, is a fugitive.

Additional Public Prosecutor Khorshed Alam said, "Shakil, 10, son of Delwar Hossain, an expatriate from Char Chauhat area of Dhamrai upazila, and Imran, 11, son of Abu Bakkar, an expatriate from the same village, went to see the annual sports competition at Hariya Bohumikhi High School in Mirzapur upazila on January 27, 2016. While there, the two fourth graders were abducted. The next day, on January 28, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Tk one lakh via a phone call. On the night of January 29, the slaughtered bodies of the two missing children were recovered from a lemon orchard in Hariya village of Mirzapur upazila."

"On January 30, Josna Begum, mother of one of the children, filed a case. On June 8, the police submitted the chargesheet to the court, naming 11 people, two of whom were acquitted two as their charges were not proven. Eight accused were then arrested and sent to jail. One of the accused is still absconding. After hearing the testimonies of 16 people, the judge announced the verdict in the case," he added.

Defendants' lawyer Zahirul Islam said, "The accused are not involved in this murder. We are not satisfied with this verdict. We will appeal to the high court."

The plaintiff in the case, Josna Begum, said, "I am satisfied with the verdict. I demand immediate execution of this verdict."