Faridpur, Oct 28 (bdnews24.com) — The police are yet to detain the alleged murderers of a woman three days since the incident. However, five more relatives of the accused have been detained.
Chapa Rani Bhowmik, 48, was run over by the motorcycle of Debashish Saha Rony, 24, for protesting sexual harassment of her daughter, at Madhukhali Upazila, Faridpur on Tuesday evening.
On Friday, local MP Abdur Rahman handed a cheque of Tk 100,000 to Chapa Rani's family on behalf of the prime minister. He assured them that justice will be served and the culprits will be brought to book.
An employee of Faridpur Sugar Mill, Chapa Rani died on her way to hospital.
Chapa Rani brother, Arun Bhowmik, filed a murder case with Madhukhali Police Station on Wednesday afternoon.
Officer-in-charge Syed Mohasinul Haque of Madhukhali Police Station told reporters on Friday that they have picked up five relatives and friends of the main accused Rony in an overnight drive. "They have been detained to find Rony's whereabouts," the police officer added.
The detainees are Rony's uncle Gopal Saha, 55, and his friends Shovon Bhattacharya Tutul, 23, Shyamal Kumar Saha, 21, Saiful Islam Raju, 20, and Abul Hassan, 22. The main accused of the case, Rony is still in hiding.
Earlier on Thursday, the police detained Rony's stepmother, Protima Saha, and the mother of Rony's accomplice 'Alamgir,' Khodeza Begum. They were later released after questioning.
MEASURES
The women and children affairs ministry is formulating an Eve Teasing Prevention Act following increased incidences of sexual harassment, stalking and heckling leading to suicides and murders.
According to the existing laws, the highest punishment for eve-teasing and sexual harassment is two years of imprisonment and fines.
But there is no mention of the words 'eve teasing' and 'sexual harassment' in the existing laws. The Law Commission has proposed to add the words 'sexual harassment' to the section 509 (A) of the Penal Code.
The amended law will increase the highest punishment to seven years' imprisonment for provoking suicide through sexual harassment or heckling. The amended law will also make it difficult for the accused to obtain bail.
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