Hitu Sheikh named prime accused in chargesheet over Magura child’s rape, murder

Police also press charges against the three other accused

Police have submitted the chargesheet in the rape and murder case of the 8-year-old girl in Magura’s Sreepur, naming Hitu Sheikh, the father-in-law of the child’s sister, as a prime accused.

The probe officer and Inspector (Investigation) of Magura Sadar Police Station Md Alauddin submitted the chargesheet to the court after 10:15pm on Sunday.

Three other accused have also been chargesheeted.

Ayub Ali, chief of the police station, said Hitu's wife Rokeya Begum has been charged with concealing information while the child's brother-in-law Sojib Sheikh and his brother Ratul Sheikh have been accused of intimidation.

The 8-year-old was raped on Feb 6 when she was visiting her sister's house in Nijnanduali village on the outskirts of Magura town.

Following the attack, she was initially taken to Magura Sadar Hospital. As her condition worsened, she was transferred to Dhaka through Faridpur Medical College Hospital.

The child died at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka on Mar 13.

On Mar 8, the victim’s mother filed a case against her daughter's father-in-law Hitu, son-in-law Sojib, his brother Ratul, and their mother Rokeya with Sadar police over the incident.

All the perpetrators are currently in jail.

Alauddin, the investigation officer of the case, said: "It is obligatory to submit the police report within 30 working days after the investigation per the law.

“The deadline to submit the report is Apr 24 but the chargesheet was submitted earlier against the four at the end of the forensic report.”