Gopalganj college student killed by 4 classmates for iPhone, drug money: police

Four friends allegedly strangled Siam Molla to fund their drug habits in Gopalganj

Police have recovered the body of a college student from a pond in Gopalganj’s Muksudpur, two days after he went missing.

Investigators say four of his classmates murdered him to steal his iPhone and money to buy drugs.

The body of 17-year-old Siam Molla was found hidden under water hyacinths behind the Banshbaria Union Sub-Health Centre late on Monday, according to Muksudpur Police chief Abdullah Al Mamun.

Siam, a second-year HSC student at Govt Muksudpur College and son of Italian expatriate Likhan Molla, had been living with his maternal grandparents in Jhutigram since his mother’s death four years ago.

Police have detained two classmates, aged 16 and 17, who reportedly confessed to the crime.

They told police that they lured Siam away from his home on Saturday, strangled him, and hid the body in the pond.

"They planned the murder to snatch his iPhone and money for drug money," OC Mamun said. "The stolen phone was later sold for Tk 25,000 to a man in the neighbouring Boalia village."

The two suspects have been sent to jail through the court, while a manhunt is under way for the remaining two accomplices.

Siam's body was sent to the Gopalganj General Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination on Tuesday.

A formal case is being filed by the victim’s family.