Cox's Bazar child abduction: Body found after 8 hours near home

A minor child was found dead eight hours after being abducted in Cox's Bazar on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on Tuesday when the child went missing after being lured by strangers offering chocolates.

The victim, Ahad, 7, was son of Anowarul Haque who works at the Hilltop Circuit House and has lived in the government officers' residential area (DC Hill) of Cox's Bazar since 2001.

According to the Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station officer-in-charge Elias Khan, the body was discovered at around 1:00 AM on Wednesday with the help of local residents. It was found in a vacant plot near the child's home in the DC hill area of the city.

After a post-mortem at Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, the body was handed over to the family.

Ahad's father, Anowarul Haque, said his son had gone out to play with a friend in the afternoon. Two unknown individuals reportedly tried to lure Ahad and his friend into a vehicle by showing them chocolates. While Ahad's friend managed to escape, Ahad was unable to flee.

After the child went missing, the family began searching the area as dusk fell and immediately informed the police. About 90 minutes later, at 1:00 AM, the police found the boy's body in a vacant plot near his home.

Ahad's uncle, Mohammad Hanif, said that after the body was retrieved and taken to the hospital, the on-duty doctor confirmed the child had died three hours earlier. 

Family members noted that the child's neck and face had scratches and there was blood on his hands, indicating signs of struggle.

The authorities are investigating the incident, and the family has filed a case to take legal action, added the OC.