A Chattogram court today sent the accused in the killing of a seven-year-old girl in Sitakunda to jail after recording his confessional statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Judicial Magistrate-2 Saima Arefin Hema recorded the statement of the accused, Babu Sheikh, 50, after Sitakunda police produced him before the court in connection with the murder and attempted rape case of Jannatun Nayema Ira.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Sitakunda Circle) Sakila Sultana Suchana confirmed the development to The Daily Star.

Police arrested Babu yesterday after the girl died at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), where she was undergoing treatment. She was found with her throat slit at Sitakunda Eco Park on Sunday.

Police said the accused is a neighbour of the victim and had prior enmity with her family, which led to the incident.

During primary interrogation, Babu admitted that he had taken the girl to a hill and attempted to rape her but failed. As she screamed and threatened to disclose the matter to her parent, her throat was slit with a knife.

Labourers found her walking aimlessly, bleeding from her throat, and took her to a health complex. Later, she was admitted at the CMCH.