Oprotim murder: Family suspects motive beyond iPhone theft

The family of Cumilla schoolboy Ishayat Shahriar Oprotim has urged investigators to examine whether motives beyond an alleged attempt to steal his iPhone were involved in his murder.

Police have said Oprotim was taken to a hilly area and beaten to death over his iPhone. However, his mother, Nahida Begum, a Cumilla University teacher, has raised questions about possible links between the killing and two earlier incidents involving youths from the area.

Speaking at a mourning rally and human chain at Cumilla University on Monday (September 21), Associate Professor Kamrun Nahar conveyed Nahida’s concerns.

She said a 16-year-old suspect from Salmanpur, near the university, had started working without pay at Oprotim’s father’s business about 10 days before the murder. Nahida had also assisted anti-drug drives while serving as an assistant proctor and helped hand over several alleged members of a juvenile gang to police.

The family claims two of them were associated with accused Saiful Islam Tuhin.

Teachers called for the alleged links to be investigated and also demanded proper verification of the ages of two juvenile suspects arrested in the case.

Police have arrested Tuhin, 19, two boys aged 15 and 16, and Mohammad Siam, 19. Three of the four have reportedly given confessional statements.

Police said the suspects initially told investigators that Opratim was killed over his iPhone, but possible links to drugs, financial dealings and juvenile gangs are also being examined.

Investigators are checking the suspects’ call records and whether anyone provided them with shelter or other assistance after the killing.

Locals have also alleged that Opratim had disputes with some youths over money he had lent and that photographs circulating on social media showed him with some of the accused.

Investigators are examining these claims as well as the suspects’ activities before and after the murder.

The case has also renewed concerns over security around Cumilla University and the Lalmai-Mainamati hills, where university authorities have long sought a permanent police outpost.

Meanwhile, the two juvenile suspects have been sent to the Tongi Child Development Centre in Gazipur after a court order. They were taken there under tight security on Monday afternoon and underwent medical examinations before being placed in the facility.