NARSINGDI, Feb, 27 Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a teenage girl in Narsingdi, an incident authorities say was carried out to cover up the assault. A case has been filed against nine accused, while the main suspect remains on the run.
Dhaka Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rezaul Karim Mallick visited the scene on Friday and later briefed reporters at Madhabdi Police Station. According to police, the victim's mother, Fahima Begum, lodged the case naming nine individuals.
Police have arrested five suspects after the victim's mother filed a case against nine people, accusing them of rape, abduction and murder. Those arrested are Ahammad Ali Dewan, vice-president of Mahishasura Union BNP and a former union council member, his son Imran Dewan, Mohammad Ayub, a cousin of the prime suspect known as Noora, and two others identified as Ebadullah and Gaffar.
Four other accused, including the key suspect Noora, remain at large. "We are investigating from every angle. The perpetrators will face the full force of the law," the DIG said, adding that drives were under way to arrest the remaining suspects. The DIG said two of those detained were directly involved in the rape, while the other three allegedly attempted to mediate and suppress the matter after the incident. Law enforcement agencies are continuing operations to apprehend the remaining suspects, including the alleged ringleader, Nur Mohammad Nura.
"No offender will be spared," the DIG said, expressing confidence that the fugitives would be brought to justice soon. Narsingdi Sadar MP Khairul Kabir Khokon also visited the area and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.
"I have told the administration that no offender, no matter how powerful, should be spared. All the accused, including the prime suspect, must be arrested within 48 hours," he said. Police said the girl had allegedly been gang-raped about 15 days earlier by a group led by Noora.
Investigators said Ahammad Ali Dewan had taken responsibility for "settling" the matter through local arbitration. Allegations have emerged that he accepted money from the accused to hush up the incident and pressured the victim's family to leave the village.
Meanwhile, a four-member medical board conducted the autopsy of the victim at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital under the supervision of Resident Medical Officer Dr Farida Gulshanara Kabir. The body remains at the hospital morgue. The victim's mother said a decision has yet to be made regarding the burial.
She, along with the victim's stepfather Ashraf Mia and brother Sifat, is currently at Madhabdi Police Station completing legal procedures.
