A Chittagong court today handed down death penalty to four persons for abducting and killing a primary school boy in 2012.

The condemned convicts are: Idris Mia, 28, Md Farukh, 25, Md Anwar, 23, and Md Sujon, 22, reports our Chittagong correspondent.

Chittagong Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury acquitted an accused, Rabeya Begum, as allegations brought against her were not proved, said prosecution lawyer Liton Ranjan Das.

Among the convicts, Sujon went into hiding after securing bail from the court while the other convicts were produced before the court today.

Five-and-a-half-year-old boy Md Yasin Arafat Abir, a class I student of Pranhori Government Primary School, was abducted from Halishahar in the port city on December 17, 2012. He was strangled for ransom in Sitakunda upazila on the same day.

Yasin's father filed an abduction and murder case with Halishahar Police Station on the following day.

Police pressed charges against the five accused on October 24, 2013.

The verdict came after two courts sentenced six people to death in two child murder cases. Thirteen-year-old Rajon and Rakib were murdered in July and August respectively this year.

Both the killing incidents sparked outrage among the people across the country.