A Correspondent:
Faridpur: Police recovered the body of a trader from a jute field at Rokman Khar Dangi village in Sadar upazila of Faridpur district on Saturday, two days after he went missing.
The deceased was identified as Yusuf Fakir, 45, wholesale onion trader and son of Seken Fakir of the village.
Local people spotted the body of Yusuf with his hands and legs tied and informed police who recovered the body around 7 am. A bottle of pesticide was recovered near the body.
Quoting family members, police said Yusuf left home on Thursday afternoon, saying he was going to Momin Khar Hat to have his blood sugar level checked at a local dispensary as he was feeling unwell. He had been missing since then.
Aziz Khan, father-in-law of the victim, said the easy-bike driver confirmed dropping Yusuf off in front of his house.
“We phoned several times that evening but he kept disconnecting the calls. Around 9:00 pm, his phone was switched off,” Aziz said.
Saiful Fakir, nephew of the victim, filed a general diary (GD) with Faridpur Kotwali Police Station over his disappearance.
Aziz Khan said the family received a phone call on Friday afternoon from Yusuf’s mobile phone, during which the caller demanded Tk 30,000 for his release.
“The caller said Yusuf would be released unharmed if we pay the money. Later, the phone was switched off, and we received two more calls from an internet-based number repeating the same demand,” he said.
“The body was lying about 300 meters from Yusuf’s house with his hands and legs tied. There were signs of pesticide poisoning around his mouth, and a bottle of pesticide was found nearby,” said Local Union Parishad member Ali Moddin Fakir.
Md Mahmudul Hasan, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Faridpur Kotwali Police Station said the body was sent to Faridpur Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
