Missing child's body recovered after crocodile attack in Bagerhat
The body was later handed over to Bagerhat Model Police Station
The body of an eight-year-old girl who went missing after being attacked by a crocodile in the pond of Khan Jahan Ali (RA) Mazar in Bagerhat was recovered early today (2 June) following an overnight rescue operation.
Bagerhat Fire Service Senior Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Mamunur Rashid (PFM) said rescuers recovered the child's body from the northeastern side of the pond at around 4:45am after conducting an all-night search operation.
Fatema is the daughter of a mentally disabled woman and had been living at the shrine with her mother.
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The victim, Fatima, was attacked by a crocodile while bathing at the women's ghat of the historic shrine pond around 8:30pm yesterday (1 June).
The reptile dragged her underwater, triggering panic among visitors and local residents.
An eyewitness, a woman named Fatima, said, "There were many people at the ghat at night. When the girl went into the water for bathing, a crocodile dragged her underwater. The girl 'Mother, the crocodile has caught me.' The locals were screaming too. The crocodile then took her underwater with both of Fatema's hands raised."
Shopkeeper Bina near the ghat said the girl was later recovered, and bite marks from the crocodile were found on several parts of her body.
The chief caretaker of the shrine, Fakir Tarikul Islam, said the child's body was recovered early in the morning and buried after the funeral prayer, following discussions with the district and police administration.
The body was later handed over to Bagerhat Model Police Station.
Officer-in-Charge of Bagerhat Model Police Station Md Arifin said necessary legal procedures would be completed following an autopsy.
The child's body was recovered this morning with the assistance of the Fire Service, law enforcement agencies, and local residents.
The incident drew large crowds to the shrine area.
The child was buried at the cemetery on the eastern and southern banks of the pond after the funeral prayer at 12pm.
Local administration officials said an investigation would be conducted and security measures around the shrine pond would be reviewed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
