Police in Rangpur’s Taraganj upazila have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the rape and murder of nine-year-old Sanjida Khatun, a second-grade student at a local madrasa kindergarten. The arrest was announced on Tuesday afternoon during a press conference at Taraganj Police Station by Rangpur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mozammel Haque. Sanjida went missing on June 19 while playing near her home in Bhimpur Quranipara area of Alampur Union. Her body was discovered the next morning beside a jute field near her house.

According to the police, the suspect, Mujahid Islam, was detained from his home in Bhimpur Quranipara around 9:30 p.m. on Monday. Preliminary interrogation and evidence indicated that the child was shown obscene videos before being raped and killed. Police said they are continuing to question the suspect and investigating whether others were involved.

A case has been filed, and the investigation remains ongoing. The incident has cast a shadow of grief over the local community.