POLICE on Friday recovered the bullet-hit body of a suspect rapist identified as Rakib in Jhalakathi’s Rajapur Upazila. A note tied around his neck wrote, “… this is the consequence of a rapist. The rapists must be careful…Hercules.” It was third identical incident where suspected rapists were found dead with a caution note, signed by one Hercules.
Rakib was accused in a case filed with Bhandaria Police Station for allegedly raping a madrasa student. On January 14, the girl was gang-raped when she was going to her grandfather’s house. Victim’s father filed a case with Bhandaria Police Station accusing several persons including Sajal and Rakib. On January 24, police recovered Sajal’s bullet-hit body in Jhalakathi’s Kathalia Upazila, with a similar note. Sajal was kidnapped on January 22 from Dhaka. On January 17, police found the body of Ripon, 39, a suspect in the gang-rape and murder of a female garment worker, in Savar with a similar note hanging around his neck.
It seems that mythical Roman god Hercules came to Bangladesh to take revenge in favour of the violated women and girls by killing the alleged rapists. Where the law enforcement agencies fail to arrest the alleged rapists and judicial system takes a lengthy procedure, the mythical Hercules— nobody knows who he is – draged out the suspects who were supposed to stay behind the bar, and shot them leaving a note. The method of wiping out the rapists may be a dramatic scene in ordinary people’s eyes but it is not a good sign for the law abiding society. It would ultimately create distrust on judicial procedure and expose helplessness of the police.
The so-called Hercules might have an honest desire to warn the social criminals. But killing an accused without any trial cannot be a solution to crime. What’s more important is that neither the Constitution nor the religions have put such responsibilities on any individual or group other than state and judiciary.
The authorities concerned must find out who the Hercules is. We must say it’s the law enforcement agencies’ duty to ensure security of women and children. None should get scope to take law in own hands bypassing the judicial procedures.
