A Correspondent :
A senior officer of the Chittagong police has admitted that they were ‘partially negligent’ in their delays in starting a case over the rape of four women at a home in Chittagong’s Karnaphuli.
“There is nothing to deny,” Deputy Commissioner Harun Ur Rashid of the metropolitan police told the media on Monday. “Police were partially negligent in the matter.”
Late on Dec 12, burglars raped four women while robbing a home in Karnaphuli’s Barauthan Union. The following day, the women went to file a case over the incident but police were reluctant to take the case over a complication with their address.
The case was accepted five days later following the intervention of State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. Three have been arrested in connection with the case. A local women’s rights organisation demonstrated on Dec 22 accusing the police of negligence and delaying work on the case and calling for the resignation of Karnaphuli Police Station OC Syedul Mostofa.
“Police were partially negligent in taking the case and conducting an initial investigation at the crime scene,” Deputy Commissioner Harun Ur Rashid said at the press conference on Monday. “The matter should have been investigated more seriously.”
Police were also unnecessarily lax in taking the two arrested suspects for questioning, claims the women’s rights body. The organisation plans to hold further demonstrations at the offices of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner on Dec 27 and at the Karnaphuli Police Station the following day.
A senior officer of the Chittagong police has admitted that they were ‘partially negligent’ in their delays in starting a case over the rape of four women at a home in Chittagong’s Karnaphuli.
“There is nothing to deny,” Deputy Commissioner Harun Ur Rashid of the metropolitan police told the media on Monday. “Police were partially negligent in the matter.”
Late on Dec 12, burglars raped four women while robbing a home in Karnaphuli’s Barauthan Union. The following day, the women went to file a case over the incident but police were reluctant to take the case over a complication with their address.
The case was accepted five days later following the intervention of State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. Three have been arrested in connection with the case. A local women’s rights organisation demonstrated on Dec 22 accusing the police of negligence and delaying work on the case and calling for the resignation of Karnaphuli Police Station OC Syedul Mostofa.
“Police were partially negligent in taking the case and conducting an initial investigation at the crime scene,” Deputy Commissioner Harun Ur Rashid said at the press conference on Monday. “The matter should have been investigated more seriously.”
Police were also unnecessarily lax in taking the two arrested suspects for questioning, claims the women’s rights body. The organisation plans to hold further demonstrations at the offices of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner on Dec 27 and at the Karnaphuli Police Station the following day.
Evidence of rape cannot be found because the victims took shower soon after they were molested, Deputy Commissioner Harun-Ur-Rashid said at the press conference.
“I have spoken to the victims. They took shower and washed their clothes soon after the incident. These things must be preserved as evidence.” The medical reports of the victims were yet to reach investigators, Rashid said.
