Cops blamed for refusing to record case

The officer-in-charge of Karnaphuli Police Station allegedly refused to record a case against suspects of raping four women.

Family members of the victims and local public representatives alleged that the OC refused to record the case twice and was forced to record the complaint four days after the incident following intervention of the local lawmaker and State Minster for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed.

Four robbers allegedly raped the victims after looting gold ornaments worth Tk 3.5 lakh and Tk 87,000 in cash from their home in the early hours of December 13.

The brother-in-law of two of the victims filed a case on December 17 and police have shown two people arrested in this regard.

The plaintiff told The Daily Star they went to the police station twice to file the case on December 13 and on December 16. They later contacted the local UP chairman, who took them to the local lawmaker.

Didarul Alam, chairman of Bara Uthan Union Parishad, said, “Police recorded the case after four days when the state minister instructed them to do so.”

Police arrested two people but did not seek remand for them, he said, adding, “Locals apprehend that the police might be trying to protect the culprits.”

OC Syedul Mostafa denied the allegations and claimed that the victims' family mentioned incorrect name of their village, leading them to think the crime scene was under Patiya police's jurisdiction.

“When they came back the second time and mentioned the correct name, we recorded the case,” he claimed.

Asked about the state minister's instruction, the OC said it was a “coincidence”. “When we were recording the case, the honourable state minster called me and enquired about it.”

On the remand prayers, the OC said they were not sure about the arrestees' involvement and prayed to the court for a test identification parade so that the victims could identify them.

“If the victims identify the arrestees, we will submit a remand prayer before the court,” he added.

The plaintiff, however, said he had correctly mentioned the name of the village and UP chairman Didarul said, “The victims have already identified one of the arrestees.” 

Meanwhile, Nari Unnayan Forum yesterday formed a human chain in front of Chittagong Press Club where Banoja Begum, vice-chairman of Karnaphuli Upazila Parishad, expressed her suspicion that evidence might have been destroyed.

“Police did not cooperate with the victims' family when they went to file a case,” said Purabi Chakraborty, general secretary of Chittagong district unit Bangladesh Nari Mukti Kendra.

Rehana Begum Ranu, president of Fight for Women's Right, said it is the duty of the police to send a rape victim for medical test within 20 hours.

“If the police take four days only to file a case, it must be negligence of duty,” she added.

State Minister Javed said he was following the developments.