Rangpur mob killing: Cops’ case statement doesn’t reflect reality

The family of Ruplal Robidas, who was beaten to death along with his nephew-in-law Pradip Lal Robidas by a mob in Rangpur, has alleged that the case statement prepared by police does not reflect what actually happened.

According to the family, officers wrote the statement at the police station and then went to Ruplal's home to have the document signed by his widow and plaintiff Maloti Rani Robidas.

Maloti told The Daily Star, "That day I was weeping, overwhelmed with grief. Some men in plainclothes came and said they were from the police station. At their request, I signed the case paper.

"I studied only up to class five, I don't understand much. They did not read the statement to me. Police wrote it themselves."

She later got a copy of the statement from the police station on Monday. "False, fabricated and offensive information has been included," she told The Daily Star last night.

Her daughter Nupur Robidas said, "A mob beat my father and my cousin's husband until they were half-dead in presence of the police. I reached the Burirhat High School field around 11:00pm that day with relatives after hearing the news. In my presence, police rescued my father."

Yesterday she said, "We were all crying, shattered with grief. That's why we did not read the case paper. My mother trusted the police and signed. But the case was manipulated with false information."

Ruplal's son Joy Robidas said, "When our father was being killed, police were there. But this was not mentioned in the case. Instead, it says police saw him at the hospital... They even blamed my father.

"Police are not taking any action. We don't know if we will ever get justice. We strongly protest this fabricated case prepared by police," he added.

The case states that on the night of August 9, Ruplal and Pradip were returning by rickshaw-van from the Chharan Baluya area of Mithapukur to Ruplal's home in Ghonirampur village in Taraganj upazila. Around 8:30pm, locals stopped them in the Burirhat Bottola area.

It claims that villagers found an energy drink bottle and some medicines in their bags. When the bottle was opened, several people including one Mehedi reportedly fell ill due to the foul-smelling liquid inside.

Enraged, villagers took Ruplal and Pradip to Burirhat High School field around 9:00pm, where they were beaten with sticks and rods until they started bleeding from their ears. Both were admitted to Taraganj Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Ruplal dead. Pradip was referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

The case statement says police later recovered Ruplal's body from the upazila health complex.

But widely circulated video footage shows police present while the mob was assaulting the two men. Instead of intervening, officers left the scene as the beating continued.

Eight police personnel were suspended on August 13 for negligence over the incident.

MA Faruk, officer-in-charge (OC) of Taraganj Police Station, had told the media that police tried to save the two men but were outnumbered and were forced to retreat that night.

When this correspondent dialled the OC's official number last night, an inspector identifying himself as Rafiq received the call. He said the OC was on leave. He also mentioned that four suspects had been arrested.

About the family's allegations, OC Faruk told Bangla daily the Prothom Alo, "Who files a case – police or the plaintiff? Who makes the allegations? The plaintiff always says such things... this is normal."