TDS Desk:

In a quick strike against the darkness that settled over Banasree, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a man linked to the savage killing of an 18-year-old SSC examinee on Saturday.

The victim, Fatema Akter Nili, a class-10 student, was murdered allegedly by Md Milon Mallik, an employee at her father’s hotel, after she refused his indecent proposal and protested against it, RAB said.

Milon, the son of late Sekandar Mallik from Manda Bashkhali area in Bagerhat, was arrested early Sunday during a joint operation by several RAB battalions in Bagerhat.

At a press briefing on Monday afternoon at the RAB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar, Lt Col Fayezul Arefin, commanding officer of RAB-3, said the force had immediately launched intelligence operations to solve the mystery behind the murder and apprehend those involved.

CCTV footage revealed Milon’s chilling movements on the day of the incident. He first entered the victim’s home at 1:36pm, leaving at 1:41pm with Nili’s elder sister, Shobha Akter.

After Shobha left for the gym, Milon returned alone at 2:25pm and stayed for nearly 20 minutes before leaving again at 2:45pm.

RAB later learned, through technological tools and intelligence, that Milon had fled to Bagerhat. A joint team of RAB-3 and RAB-6 arrested him from Singa area under Bagerhat Sadar Police Station.

During preliminary interrogation, Milon confessed to the murder.

According to RAB, he had been making indecent proposals to Nili for some time.

On the night before the incident, he again made a proposal while serving food, which led the victim to scold him. Enraged, Milon decided to take revenge the following day.

RAB said that Milon entered the house with a nylon rope intending to strangle Nili.

When she resisted, he reportedly strangled her and, fearing the noise would attract attention, slit her throat with a kitchen knife, ending her young life.

Following the murder, he ransacked the house, took some cash and fled.

During the arrest, RAB recovered the black pants and blue vest Milon wore at the time of the crime, as well as the weapon used and the nylon rope.

Lt Col Fayezul Arefin said investigations are ongoing to determine whether any other motives or accomplices were involved.

The accused is now in police custody for further legal proceedings.