A 13-year-old boy with speech impairment was raped and strangled to death in the Naraybagh area of Demra in the capital, police said. The incident unfolded while the victim's mother remains paralysed from a stroke and his ailing father is hospitalised.

Recovery and arrest

Police and case documents said the boy's semi-decomposed body was recovered from bushes behind a sandy field adjacent to the Bottle Market in Naraybagh around 7:30pm on Tuesday. According to police, the boy was strangled after he screamed during the sexual assault. His body was then dumped in the bushes.

Demra Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Taifur Rahman confirmed the information. "Arif Hossain has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder. During preliminary interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the killing," he said.

Search after disappearance

The boy went missing on November 7. After his disappearance, family members printed posters and put them up on walls across the area. Police traced Arif's movements by examining CCTV footage from the locality and subsequently arrested him.

The victim's elder brother filed a murder case with Demra Police Station. Police said they will seek a remand order for Arif for questioning as the investigation continues.

Family circumstances

Family sources said the victim's mother is bedridden at home after suffering a stroke, while his father is admitted to hospital. The family is now grieving the loss of their disabled child amid these dire circumstances. Local residents and relatives have expressed both sorrow and anger over the incident.