Temple custodian found hanging in Cox's Bazar hills 3-day after going missing
Nayan Das served as a custodian at the Sarbojonin Sri Sri Shib Kali Mandir in East Hamzar Deil area of Khurushkul union and lived near the temple with his family
A Hindu temple custodian in Khurushkul, Cox's Bazar, was found in a partially decomposed state, hanging from a tree in a hilly area three days after he went missing, police said today (22 April).
The body of Nayan Das (40), son of Gopal Das of Boiltoli area in Chandanaish upazila of Chattogram, was recovered from a hill in the Polisyaghona area of Khurushkul union under Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila, said Inspector (Investigation) Himel Roy of Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station.
Nayan Das served as a custodian at the Sarbojonin Sri Sri Shib Kali Mandir in East Hamzar Deil area of Khurushkul union and lived near the temple with his family.
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Citing locals, the police official said Nayan left his home on the night of Sunday and did not return. Relatives and locals searched multiple areas the following morning but could not trace him. His wife, Anjana Shil, later filed a general diary (GD) with Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station on Monday afternoon.
Following the report, police intensified their search. This morning, locals spotted a body hanging from a tree in a forested hill area of Polisyaghona and informed the police. A team later recovered the body from the scene.
Inspector Himel Roy said, "Due to decomposition, the body was emitting a strong odour. Skin had peeled off from several parts of the body. It is suspected that he died on the day he went missing."
Police have not yet confirmed whether the incident was a suicide or a planned killing.
According to the victim's wife, two unidentified individuals came to their house on Sunday night and called Nayan outside. When he did not return for a long time, she and the locals searched nearby areas without success.
The next morning, she found a discarded cloth resembling his shawl about 50-60 yards from the temple in the nearby hill forest, raising suspicions that something had happened to him. She subsequently filed the GD.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad Cox's Bazar Sadar general secretary Joni Dhar described the incident as "deeply tragic" and said the circumstances suggest a possible planned killing, as the victim was allegedly taken from his home and later found hanging after three days.
However, he added that no known local enmity has yet been identified, and the motive remains unclear.
The body has been sent to Cox's Bazar District Sadar Hospital for autopsy, Inspector Himel Roy said.
