Three youths killed Zahidul Islam, a class II student of North Badda Government Primary School, on June 27 and dumped the body in the bush in Bashundhara Residential Area.

The incident came to light after one of the suspects, Billal, was arrested on Monday. Acting on his statement, the police arrested two others -- Arman and Khokon -- yesterday and recovered the decomposed body. The three youths, aged between 17 and 20, are vagabonds.

Billal told the police that he along with the other two took Zahidul to Bashundhara project area, saying that they would have his mobile phone set repaired, which went out of order.

But they tied up his hands and legs and snatched his mobile phone.

Then they also planned to hold him hostage and demand a Tk 10,000 ransom from his father, police said quoting Billal.

But the three strangled the boy when he told them that he would tell everything to his father who knew them.

On Monday, Zahidul's father Mujibur Gazi caught hold of Billal with the help of locals under suspicion and beat him, prompting Billal to return the mobile phone set. He was later handed over to the police.

Sub-Inspector Shamsuzzoha said he will produce the three before a Dhaka court today.