Police arrested a young man over alleged murder of a 13-year-old schoolgirl who found dead at Kaligonj upazila in Lalmonirhat district on Wednesday.

The incident occurred at Char Votmari village of Votmari union in the upazila.

The deceased is Jannati Begum, daughter of Fazlul Haque and a sixth-grade student at Votmari SC High School.

The accused, Belal Hossain, 20, from the same area, was apprehended from his residence late Wednesday night.

According to locals, Jannati was alone at home when her mother went to visit her sick grandmother nearby.
Upon returning, mother could not find her daughter and began searching in various places.

During the search, Jannati`s mother became suspicious after seeing Belal, along with 4-5 others, fleeing from the cornfield.

She then went into the field and found her daughter`s body.

Later, she informed the locals, who then contacted police.

On information, a team of Kaligonj Police Station rushed to the scene, recovered Jannati`s body and sent to Lalmonirhat General Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Jannati`s father, Fazlul Haque, filed a murder case with Kaligonj Police Station, naming Belal and 4-5 unknown individuals as accused.

Kaligonj Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Selim Malik said that the perpetrators stuffed soil into the victim`s mouth up to her neck, causing her death by suffocation.

No initial signs of rape were found, the OC added.

Meanwhile, locals suspect that Jannati was raped before being strangled to death.

Following the incident, an enraged mob set fire to Belal`s house, completely burning it down.

Additionally, locals blocked the highway on Thursday morning to hold a protest rally.