The body of former Bangladesh Air Force officer Flight Lieutenant KM Tahsif Sauri, recovered from the Turag River in Uttarkhan, Dhaka, was identified through an iPhone found in his pocket, police said.

River Police recovered the body near Rajabari Ghat in Uttarkhan at around 4:30 pm on Wednesday, according to officials.

Abdullah Al Mamun, superintendent of police for the Dhaka region of River Police, confirmed the identification to Samakal on Thursday morning.

He said a team from the Tongi River Police outpost went to the scene on Wednesday after receiving a call through the national emergency service 999. Officers subsequently recovered the body of an unidentified man floating in the river.

During the preparation of the inquest report, police found that the man was wearing white trousers and a black shirt, with a watch on his wrist and an iPhone in his pocket. Information obtained through the phone helped officers establish his identity.

According to River Police, Sauri was approximately 28 years old. His father’s name was KM Enayet ur. He lived on Road 14/B in Sector 18 of Uttara, Dhaka.

Police notified one of his relatives and sent the body to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.

Abdullah Al Mamun said the cause of death had not been established immediately. The body will be handed over to the family after the post-mortem examination, he added.

Meanwhile, claims have circulated on social media following news of Sauri’s death that he recorded the widely shared video showing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh during the July uprising.

However, River Police official Abdullah Al Mamun said he could not confirm the accuracy of those claims.