Abducted child’s body found after detained ‘kidnapper’ dies in police shootout in Jashore

A suspected kidnapper, who was caught while trying to collect ransom, has died during a shootout with police in Jashore on early Wednesday.

Billal Hossain, 16, was shot dead during the encounter near Kamalpur Jora Bridge in Manirampur Upazila, said Ansar Uddin, additional superintendent of Jashore police. Hossain had failed to pass his Junior School Certificate exam last year.

After the gun-battle, police found a sack containing the body of 9-year-old Tarif Hossain under Kamalpur Jora, said the police official. The fourth grader, who studied at Gopalpur Govt Primary School, was abducted on Sunday. His kidnappers had demanded Tk 500,000 as ransom.    

“Billal went to a bKash centre in Keshabpur area to collect the ransom on Tuesday night. Police detained him from there. Based on the information he provided, a police team took him to Jora Bridge area to recover the body of the kidnapped boy,” said Ansar Uddin.

“It was during that time, Billal’s accomplices opened fire on police, who retaliated by firing back. Billal was later found dead at the scene,” he said.

A shotgun and bullets were recovered from the scene, he added.

Two suspects -- Lima Begum, 20, and Masum Billah, 20 -- were arrested for their alleged links with the incident, according to the police.

The bodies of Tarif and Billal have been sent to Jashore Sadar Hospital for autopsies.