Zakir Azad, Cumilla

The brutal murder of 13-year-old Ishayat Shahriar Oprotim—a seventh-grade student and son of a Comilla University faculty member—has shed light on the alarming dominance of teenage gangs across Cumilla. Oprotim went missing on September 18, and his body was recovered the following day in the Lalmai Hill forest area in Kotbari.

Police arrested four individuals—Saiful Islam Tuhin (19), Mozammel Hossain Fahad (15), Md. Kamrul Hasan (16), and Siam. Tuhin, Fahad, and Kamrul confessed to the murder. Although police initially stated the crime was committed solely to snatch Oprotim’s iPhone, local reports and social media evidence link all primary suspects to active juvenile gangs, including the 'Kotbari Biker Group.'

In response, law enforcement launched a massive, coordinated three-day crackdown across the district, detaining 1,293 individuals. Among them, 419 were sent to jail via the courts due to proven criminal links, while 874 were released to guardians under signed bonds.

Investigations revealed at least 24 active juvenile gangs in Cumilla, including the 'Kotbari Biker Group,' 'R-Squad,' 'Eagle Group,' 'Disco Boys,' and 'KB Gang.' These groups have been involved in brawls, extortion, drug abuse, and violent crimes since 2016.

Oprotim’s father, KM Firoz Shahriar, demanded a thorough investigation into the motives behind the murder and urged authorities to determine punishments based on the severity of the crime rather than the offenders' ages. Cumilla Superintendent of Police Md. Anisuzzaman confirmed that intelligence operations and hotspot drives against gang leaders and members remain ongoing.