The murder case involving a 22-year-old Bangladeshi student has taken a dramatic turn after authorities located his body buried in the Kofinou area, ten days after he was reported missing while working in Larnaca.
The body of Shahriar Ahmed Emon was discovered on Sunday in an advanced state of decomposition, buried in rural Kofinou. The young man had been missing since the evening of 11 June, when he was last seen travelling for work in the Larnaca area.
Alleged ransom messages via WhatsApp
According to information emerging from the investigation, unknown individuals allegedly used the victim’s mobile phone after his disappearance to contact his father via WhatsApp.
They reportedly demanded €35,000 in ransom, claiming the young man had been kidnapped and threatening harm if the payment was not made.
Arrest and ongoing investigation
Cypriot police arrested a 22-year-old Bangladeshi man on suspicion of involvement in the killing.
Reports indicate that police located both the victim’s body and the knife allegedly used in the attack following information provided by the suspect. Authorities have not yet officially confirmed further details regarding his statements or origin.
Investigations suggest the victim may have been killed on the same night he disappeared, before his body was buried.
Victim’s background and final movements
Shahriar had arrived in Cyprus only three months earlier on a student visa and was living in Oroklini, Larnaca. He was reportedly seeking part-time work to support himself financially.
The last communication with his mother took place on the afternoon of 11 June. He told her he had secured a night shift job and asked her to pray for him. He also informed his father, who lives in Greece, as well as his roommate in Cyprus, Raihan Mia, who comes from the same village.
Raihan advised him to send the location of his workplace and to contact him if any problem arose. Shahriar arrived at the workplace around 9 p.m. local time and sent his location via WhatsApp. Shortly afterwards, Raihan replied with a confirmation message, but it was never delivered. He assumed his friend might have been busy with work.
Around 10 p.m., Shahriar’s father received a message from his son’s WhatsApp account. The message read: “We have kidnapped your son. If you want him back, you must pay €35,000. If you pay, you will get him back. If not, I will remove his eyes and kidneys and sell them.”
The family immediately informed the authorities, but initially believed the young man’s account had been hacked.
The following day, Shahriar did not return from work. Raihan contacted the police and reported him missing. Despite searches carried out even at the location he had sent, no trace of him was found. At the same time, his WhatsApp account remained active, and the unknown individuals continued to demand money from the family daily.
The victim’s brother, Nayan Ahmed, said that when it became clear the authorities could not locate Shahriar, the family decided to negotiate with the kidnappers. He stated that after bargaining, they agreed on a payment of 500,000 Bangladeshi taka. “On Sunday afternoon we went to the bank to send the money. However, we asked to speak to Shahriar at least once, and they refused. We returned from the bank without completing the payment. Shortly after 8 p.m., I saw on Facebook that the Cypriot police had found my brother’s body. The same information was confirmed by Raihan and acquaintances of ours in Cyprus,” he said.
Calls for justice
The victim’s mother, Papia Begum, visibly devastated, called for justice for her son’s murder.
“I want those who killed my child to be punished. Please, bring his body back to the country legally. I want to touch him one last time,” she said through tears.
The administrative chief of Raipura district, Md. Masud Rana, confirmed that local authorities had been informed of the discovery of the student’s body in Cyprus.
“We have received information about the recovery of Shahriar’s body, who had travelled to Cyprus for studies. However, we have not yet received any official confirmation from the Cypriot embassy. The family has also not contacted us yet. If assistance is requested, necessary steps will be taken through the relevant ministry,” he said.
Also read: Post-mortem confirms cause of death as stab wounds and strangulation
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