ASI jailed over rape of 9th grader in Rangpur

An assistant sub-inspector of Rangpur police was sent to jail today after he was arrested in a case filed over gang-rape of a ninth grader, said police.

Raihanul Islam alias Raju (35), who was discharging duties as an ASI of the Detective Branch of police, was arrested from Metropolitan Police Lines around 9:00pm on Wednesday.

He was produced before the court of senior judicial magistrate in the afternoon with a remand prayer of eight days.

The court set November 4 for hearing on the remand prayer and sent him to jail.

The ASI was suspended on Saturday and attached to the police lines. With him, five persons have been arrested in the case so far.

They are: Babul Hossain (38), Abul Kalam (40), Sumaiya Akter alias Meghla (35) and Suravi Akter (30). Meghla and Shuravi were arrested on Saturday, while the other two on Tuesday. Police sent the two women to jail on Tuesday.

Babul and Abul already gave their confessional statement, informed superintendent of Rangpur PBI ABM Zakir Hossain. The victim's statement was also recorded at a local court, the SP said.

The incident happened at the house of Sumaiya Akter Meghla alias Aleya at Kedarer Pool area in the city on October 24.

On information, police rescued the girl and admitted her to the One-stop Crisis Centre of Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

They also arrested Aleya and her associate Surovi from the house. The girl's father filed a case with Haragachh Police Station under Rangpur Metropolitan Police later that night. Later, the case was handed over to PBI.

Meanwhile, rights groups have been demonstrating in the city, demanding strict punishment for the perpetrators.

Leaders of Nagarik Samaj handed over a memorandum to high officials of Rangpur police in this regard on Wednesday.