Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 196 Sat. December 13, 2003  
   
National


No clue to Tia murder case in 3 months
Victim's family threatened as accused 'at large'


Family members of housewife Aan Karobi Adhikari Tia, whose mysterious death evoked public protests in the town, are allegedly being threatened with death by the accused for withdrawal of the case.

The accused are moving freely in Lalmonirhat town and staying at their relatives' houses, the family alleged while talking to this correspondent recently.

But neither the killers have been arrested nor there has been any progress in investigation by CID in over three months though the townspeoeple observed hartal and held protest meetings demanding proper trial of the case. A hunger strike was also observed by some people protesting alleged police negligence in investigation.

Tia, died on September 5 from burn injuries she suffered at her husband's house in the town on August 29.

She was taken to the railway hospital, then to Rangpur Medical College Hospital and finally to the burn unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital wher she died on September 6.

Her husband's family claimed that she was injured when the stove burst as she was boiling milk. He parents alleged that she was burnt to death by her drug addict husband and relatives.

On September 8, Tia's mother Suchitra Adhikari went to the Kotwali thana to file a case under the Woman and Children Repression Prevention Act but the police recorded an unnatural death (UD) case.

On September 10, the Deputy Commissioner Ismail Hossain and the Police Superintendent Maniruzzaman visited the victim's parents at their Christianpara rsidence in the town and ordered police to record a case.

Later, Suchitra Adhikari filled a case accusing the two persons including Tia's husband Shahed Rahman Pavel, 28, son of retired Prof Golam Rahman and his mother Rawshan Ara Rahman on September 11.

The case was transferred to CID (Criminal Investigation Department of Police) on September 21 as the Kotwali police failed to trace any clue to the incident.

The SP replaced investigation office (IO) sub-inspector Mostak with Kotwali thana OC Ramzan Ali.

As there was no progress in investigation, the case was transferred to CID.

CID ASP of Rangpur Range Amullo Chandro Das also visited the house of the Tia's parents on September 27.