3 friends killed Rima after failing to rape

Shipon, arrested in the case for the murder of Rehana Akhter Rima in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj, has admitted to his involvement in the brutal killing.

“Shipon gave his confessional statement under Section 164 to the Court of Habiganj Senior Judicial Magistrate Shahinur Akhter on Saturday evening. He told the court that he with his two friends killed the woman after failing to rape her,” Madhabpur Circle Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) SM Raju Ahmed said yesterday.

Earlier on the day, police arrested Shipon, son of Shahed Mia of Kamalanagor village in Madhabpur, from Ghatua village in the upazila.

“Shipon said in his confessional statement that he became acquainted with Rima, wife of expatriate Abdul Awal, through mobile phone conversation seven months ago. Gradually they got closer and travelled together in different places,” the ASP said.

“Rima lived at her father's house in Rajapur with two daughters. Later, Rima went to work at a garment factory at Gazipur in Dhaka, leaving the two kids at her father's house. From there, Rima contacted Shipon who on June 9 went to Dhaka to bring her. They returned by bus at night, got down in Madhabpur and went to Kamalanagar village by an auto-rickshaw.

“Shipon took her to an abandoned house at the village. There he with his two friends tried to rape Rima. As Rima tried to resist, they hit her with a bamboo stick on the head and she died on the spot.

“Then they buried her at a nearby garden. They also sold  two mobile phones, gold earrings and gold necklace of Rima at a jewellery shop at Madhabpur.

“On June 13, police recovered Rima's decomposed body. Sub-inspector Shah Alam  filed a murder case against unidentified people that day. After three months' inquiry, police came to know that it was Rima's body and lastly arrested Shipon,” the ASP said.