Police linger for hours before recording Chilmari rape case

Police have wasted hours before recording a rape case in Kurigram's Chilmari even after the alleged attacker was brought to them by locals.

Ahsan Habib Nilu Kurigram Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 July 2017, 07:13 PM
Updated : 25 July 2017, 07:13 PM

Locals of Raniganj Union's Fakirhat said police even tried to hand the suspect over to the Upazila Nirbahi Official or UNO so he can tried by a mobile court.

Abidul Islam, 28, and the alleged victim were taken to Chilmari Police by security volunteer Noor Mohammad around 9am Monday, said duty official ASI Ripon.

The police finally recorded the case at midnight.

Abidul was sent to prison by a court on Tuesday morning, and the housewife he is accused of raping was taken to Kurigram Sadar Hospital for a medical examination.

Abidul  is accused of entering the home of the alleged victim and raping her, taking advantage of her husband's absence, said Raniganj Union Parishad Monjurul Islam.

"The housewife screamed and her father-in-law then caught Abidul, and screamed out for help from neighbours. With their help, he brought Abidul and the woman to me."

Since sexual assault complaints cannot be resolved through arbitration, the two were taken to Chilmari police through the security volunteer, he said.

"But police put both the attacker and victim in lockup, while mysteriously refusing to record the case for the next 12 hours. Then at 9pm, they took them to the UNO's home to have the matter judged by a mobile court." 

But locals became angry after hearing about the move and went to UNO Mirza Murad Hasan Beg with local journalists to inquire whether cases like this can be tried by a mobile court. UNO Beg then discontinued the proceedings.

"I believe incidents like this are beyond the jurisdiction of the mobile court. So it was not tried there. Police were ordered to record the case, said Beg.  

When asked about the cause for delaying the case, Chilmari Police OC Krishna Chadra Sarkar said the time was spent in verifying the complaint.

So, why does the case record say it was filed at 2pm, he was asked. "Police can do this. We left a spot empty in our record book."