A 12-year-old girl was killed by burglars at her house on Sayed Shah Lane in Chittagong city yesterday morning.

The throat slit body of Ilham Bint Nasir was found by her mother, who had left home for about an hour to drop her other daughter off at school.

The grieving mother Nasrin Akhter told police that gold ornaments of about five tola were missing from the flat.

No one was arrested until last night.

The victim was a student of class VI at Mern Sun School and College. Her father Nasir of Satkania upazila is an expatriate in Saudi Arabia.

Police said Nasrin Akhter lived with her three daughters at their flat on the 5th floor of their own building.

The crime took place between 8:00am and 9:00am, said Jahangir Alam, assistant commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police.

Quoting family members, he told The Daily Star that the victim's mother left home with her daughter Jerin, 7, to drop her off at her school before 8:00am. The victim and her two-and-a-half-year-old younger sister were alone at home. 

The mother returned home after one-and-a-half hour and found Ilham's body in a pool of blood.

Other residents of the building, who are also their relatives, rushed to the scene after hearing the screams of Nasrin.

“The face of the victim was covered under a pillow. Her mother removed it and found her,” AC Jahangir said.

CMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Md Abdur Rauf said, “The mother said five tola of gold ornaments were missing from inside an almirah. The lock of the almirah was found open and clothes were rummaged.”

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) visited the scene to look for evidence.

“There was no sign of struggle on the bed where the body was found, which is unusual.” a PBI officer said seeking anonymity.

Rizwanul Karim, a neighbour, who took her to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, told The Daily Star that doctors pronounced her dead after he took her there.

5-YEAR-OLD KILLED IN JHALAKATHI

A 5-year-old boy was murdered in his house in Shekherhat area of the district on Tuesday night.

Hasan Howlader was the son of late Anower Ali Howlader of Shekherhat in Jhalakathi sadar, said Kamruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Sherkherhat police outpost.

Police arrested a suspect, Murad Hossain, 32, of the same area.

The OC said Hasan's mother had earlier filed an attempted rape case against Murad with Jhalakathi court. Murad was arrested in the case and sent to jail. He was released recently on bail.

Neighbours said Murad often reportedly intimidated and threatened Hasan's mother for filing the case against him.

On the night of the murder, Hasan was sleeping at home alone while his mother was at a neighbour's house where she worked as a domestic help.

Police suspect that Murad sneaked into the house and slit the throat of the sleeping child.

The boy was found by the mother when she returned home.

Murad is a drug addict and also sells drugs in the area, according to police.