Schoolgirl 'killed' after rape, police allegedly record suicide case
A 14 year-old schoolgirl was killed after rape but Manikganj police refused to file a murder case, the victim's father alleged at a press conference here. Being refused, he filed a murder case with Manikganj Magistrate Court on August 14, he told the press conference.
In the case fled with the Magistrate Court, Abdul Aziz of Hizlain village under Manikganj Sadar alleged that her daughter Rupali Akhter was abducted by his neighbours Habibur Rahman, son of a police constable, Abdur Rajjazk and Akkas Ali on August 9. They killed Rupali after rape, he said in the complaint. Being informed by local people, police recovered the body from a guava garden in the village on the morning of August 10. The body was sent to Manikganj Sadar Hospital for autopsy, he said.
Rupali was a student of class VIII at Lemubari Binoda Sundari High School. At the press conference, Abdul Aziz alleged that he went to Manikganj police station on August 12 to file a murder case. But police did not take any case. He went there again on August 13. Police rebuked him for going there again, he alleged. He demanded arrest and punishment of the killers.
Victim's cousin Jasim Uddin alleged at the press conference that police took his signature on a white paper when he went the police station on August 10 to file a case. After taking his signature, police wrote on the paper that Rupali committed suicide by taking poison.
On August 11, the Officer-in-charge of Manikganj Sador police station told journalists that Rupali killed herself by taking poison though the autopsy report was not available with police then. Sources at Manikganj Sadar Hospital seeking anonymity said that Rupali was killed after rape. During a visit to Hizlain village on August 14, this correspondent did not find Habibur Rahman. Neighbours said he is absconding since the incident.
Meanwhile, the local units of Mohila Parishad(Women's Association) and Communist Party of Bangladesh have demanded arrest and trial of the killers.
(Source: The Daily Star, August 19, 2003)