OC withdrawn over Rajshahi schoolgirl’s suicide after rape
The officer-in-charge of Mohanpur Police Station has been withdrawn for negligence of duty over the suicide of schoolgirl Sumaiya Akhter Barsha after her rape in Rajshahi.
Ifte Khayer Alam, additional superintendent of police (Sadar circle) and also the spokesperson of district police, said OC Abul Hossain was closed to the district police lines on Monday afternoon following an order of Superintendent of Police Md Shahidullah, UNB reports.
Barsha, 14, a Class-IX student of Bakshimul High School in the upazila and daughter of Abdul Mannan Chand, committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan on May 17 having failed to bear the insult after being abducted and raped.
Barsha's sister alleged that their neighbour Mukul, son of Anis Uddin, had been harassing her for the last six months on her way to and from school as she turned town his love proposal. She had also informed the matter to her family.
On April 23, Barsha was taken to a coaching centre by her friend Sonia against her will. However, Mukul abducted her and raped her.
The schoolgirl was found lying unconscious by the Mohanpur-Kaliganj road in Khanpur Bagbazar area, 6 kms off her house, on the same day.
Later, the victim's father rescued her and first took her to Mohanpur Health Complex. Then, she was shifted to the one-stop crisis centre at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Barsha's father went to the police station in the evening to file an abduction case. However, the OC kept him waiting at the police station until midnight without recording any case.
As Barsha's condition deteriorated, police took him to the RMCH on their vehicle around 12:30am on April 24.
Police arrested Mukul in the early hours of the day only to release him in the morning.
Although Mannan went to the police station for four consecutive days later, police did not record the case, rather they kept him waiting for hours.
When he asked the OC why he was harassing him, he got angry and threatened to beat him.
Later, Mannan informed the matter to additional deputy commissioner Alamgir Kabir who was the former upazila nirbahi officer of Mohanpur over phone.
The ADC informed the matter to the police superintendent. Later, Mannan along with Barsha went to the SP and informed him of the incident in details.
Finally, an abduction case was recorded on April 27. But the OC refused to record any rape case.
Victim's family members alleged that Barsha took her life following insult to her and her family and continued threat from the accused family.
The victim's father filed another case against 13 people over the suicide and police arrested three accused.
The SP said the case was transferred to Detective Branch of police for investigation.
Two committees were formed to probe the allegation against the OC, he said.
