Justice delayed as case loses way in police maze

Six months into the murder of a housewife at Baliyaghat-Dakkhin Para village in Sadar upazila of the district, police were yet to arrest the main accused in the case.

Neighbours said, Parvina, was stabbed to death by her dowry-greedy husband Khokon, son of Jaigir Fakir of the village, on the night of February 17. He later dumped the body beside the rail track near Rahmatpur level crossing in the upazila.

Locals found the body the following morning and informed the police who recovered the body and sent it to Jessore Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

After an autopsy, Parvina's body was handed over to her family members, who buried it at a local graveyard.

As Parvina's elder brother Abdus Sattar went to Kotwali Police Station on February 17 to file a murder case, accusing Khokon, his sister Rebeka Khatun, and nephew Russel, police did not accept the case, saying the place of occurrence was under the jurisdiction of railway police. They sent the case to Khulna railway police.

Railway police visited the spot and sent the case back to Jessore Kotwali Police Station on February 28 as per court order. The officer in-charge of Kotwali Police Station assigned Sub-Inspector (SI) Jamal Uddin to investigate the murder incident on March 15.

“We urged the police several times to arrest the accused, but they showed reluctance to act,” Sattar said, adding that locals caught Rebeka Khatun, sister of Khokon, on April 11 and handed over to police. Rebeka was later freed on bail.

“Police are not arresting Khokon though he often comes to his house at Baliyaghat-Dakkhin Para village,” Sattar alleged.

Contacted, investigation officer (IO) Jamal Uddin said, he had submitted the charge sheet to the court about two months ago. “Now, I can't arrest any of the accused without court order”. The IO said. On the other hand, plaintiff's lawyer said police can arrest the accused any time after submitting the charge sheet.

Sattar said, “We are worried whether we will get justice. Our sister was brutally murdered by her husband and his family members for dowry, but police are showing reluctance to arrest the killers”.