A 12-year-old schoolgirl was allegedly strangled to death after breaking her hands and legs, and stuffing sand into her mouth in Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat on Wednesday.
The deceased is Jannati Begum, daughter of Fazlul Haque of Char Bhotmari village under Botmari union of the upazila.
Police arrested a youth, Belal Hossain, 20, son of Abu Taleb of the same village.in connection with the incident.
Kaliganj police officer-in-charge Selim Malik confirmed the murder and arrest on Thursday afternoon.
Earlier, on Wednesday night, police arrested accused youth Belal Hossain at his house in Char Botmari village of the upazila.
Jannati was a Class VI student of the local Bhotmari SC High School.
Police and locals said that on Wednesday evening, Jannati鈥檚 mother left Jannati alone at home and went to visit her ailing grandmother. After returning home, she searched for her daughter at various places.
At one stage of the search, Jannati鈥檚 mother saw a group of 4-5 people, including arrested youth Belal, running away from a corn field.
Out of suspicion, she went to the corn field and saw her daughter鈥檚 body lying there.
She then started screaming and locals rushed to her screams and informed the police.
On information, Kaliganj police reached the spot, recovered Jannati鈥檚 body and sent it to the Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital morgue.
Jannati鈥檚 father Fazlul Haque filed a murder case with the Kaliganj police station against 4-5 people, including Belal.
The OC said that the killers broke the hands and feet of the deceased Jannati and stuffed sand from her mouth to her throat to strangle her to death.
No signs of rape were found at the initial stage, the OC said, adding that it has been reported that there has been a dispute between Jannati鈥檚 brother and the arrested Belal鈥檚 brother.
An investigation is under way to determine whether this incident has taken place due to their family feud, the OC added.