A seven-year-old girl was strangled allegedly after rape in the city’s Chandgaon area on Sunday.
Police arrested the accused Rakibul Hasan Munna, 24, son of late Yusuf of Cox’s Bazar district in this connection.
Her parents went to their respective workplaces leaving the girl alone at home on Sunday morning.
The victim’s father said he left the house at 7.45am and his wife at 7.30am as usual. One of his cousins found the door of the house locked from inside and knocked it with the help of neighbours later, he said.
At one stage, the accused Munna fled the house pushing them. They found undressed body of the girl lying on the bed. There were marks of injury on her neck, hand and leg, said the father. The neighbours alleged that the girl was strangled after rape by the criminal.
"On information, police recovered the body of the girl and sent it to Chattogram Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy," said Officer in-Charge (OC) Khairul Islam of the concerned Chandgaon Police Station.
The accused was arrested from a water-body in the area later, he said.
The homeless arrestee used to stay at rail station and footpath, said the OC informing that filing of a case in this connection was under process.