JnU student Abontika's suicide: Police submit charge sheet accusing classmate

Police yesterday submitted a charge sheet to a local court in connection with a case filed over suicide of Jagannath University (JnU) student Abontika last year.

Fairuz Sadaf Abontika, a master's student of the JnU's law department, took her own life by hanging from a ceiling fan at her home in Cumilla on March 15 last year.

She posted a suicide note on Facebook, where she accused a classmate, Raihan Siddiqui Amman, and assistant proctor, Din Islam, of being responsible for her death.

Her mother, Tahmina Shabnam, filed the case at Kotwali Model Police Station against the two named individuals and some unidentified persons for abetment of suicide.

The charge sheet was filed against the main accused Amman.

However, police exempted Din Islam from the charges as police did not find sufficient evidence against the accused during the case investigation.

The investigation officer, Inspector (investigation) Mizanur Rahman of Kotwali Model Police Station, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star.

He said, during the investigation, statements from 23 people, including JnU teachers, students, and officials, were recorded. Several photos, screenshots, and text messages from Facebook messenger thread and WhatsApp were also found in the victim's mobile phone and were subsequently seized. Her Facebook "suicide note" was reviewed, and the phone was sent to a forensic lab for a report. Evidence from the messages indicated that Amman had mentally harassed Abontika in different ways.

"Such harassment compelled her to take her own life," Inspector Mizanur said.

While speaking to The daily Star, plaintiff Tahmina said, "I had already expressed doubts about whether those involved in my daughter's death would ever be punished. I still don't know if the JnU administration has ensured any punishment for anyone. How did police release Din Islam from the charges?"

Expressing frustration, she said, "Like Abontika, thousands of girls are being harassed at universities. Some silently endure it. If they protest, the consequences are either death or being slandered with false accusations."