Amidst growing protests over the mysterious death of a university student and demand for the arrest of her suspected killer, police last night detained a youth, said to be an ex-boyfriend of Rubaiyat Sharmin Rumpa, whose body was recovered from a street in Dhaka on Wednesday night.
Police detained Soikot, ex-boyfriend of Stamford University Bangladesh student Rubaiyat Sharmin Rumpa, over her death, and took him to the Detective Branch office for questioning, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Masudur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune.
Details of his detention were yet to be known till filing of this report at 9.15pm.
While the victim's family and her fellow students and teachers suspect it to be a planned murder, the police are yet to determine the exact cause of the death of Rumpa, a police inspector’s daughter.
Even the inquest report prepared by Ramna Police Station and the initial autopsy by hospital morgue authorities are yet to conclude whether it was a suicide or murder.
Investigating sources said they are now scrutinising important footages from different spots such as how Rumpa had entered Ayesha Complex, a four-storey building that particular day.
They are also trying to unearth details on what she did in the four hours- 6.30pm to 10.30pm- before her body was recovered on Wednesday.
Investigators are putting utmost importance to find out the exact details of where she went, who was with her and who she talked to during these four hours.
A police officer, close to the investigation, said the girl met with her ex-boyfriend at her university campus at noon on the day to celebrate their friend Mariya's birthday.
SM Shamim, assistant police commissioner (AC) of Ramna zone of Dhaka Metropolitan Police told Dhaka Tribune that the victim left her house at about 6.30pm and remained outside for four hours.
“We are trying to find out how she spent those four hours. One of her female friends told us that that Rumpa left the house when the birthday party was over and had no idea of what happened after that,” he said.
The police official said they had received a CCTV footage of a nearby building which showed a girl entering the four-storey building around 6.27pm which is near to the Ayesha Shopping Complex and the girl appeared to be like Rumpa.
“Police have been searching for the girl who entered the building but no one could confirm if it was Rumpa and to which flat the girl actually went into,” he added.
The assistant commissioner also said they are trying to find out how she fell from the rooftop.
Ex-boyfriend claimed innocence
Claiming that he is innocent, Rumpa's ex boyfriend Soikot said he had an affair with Rumpa upon his admission to the same university that continued for 2-3 months, but discontinued the relationship because of financial stress and mental breakdown after his father and uncle died. He also had to stop studying at the university.
Later, he was admitted to Adamjee Cantonment College in Dhaka with financial support of his maternal uncle who lives abroad.
'Rumpa cannot commit suicide'
Rumpa's mother Nahida Akhter believes her daughter can never commit suicide.
“The students of the university used to have study groups and she might have had a dispute with anyone over group study. But we do not know of any other problems in her life,” said the mother.
Rumpa, who hails from the Bijay Nagar village of Mymensingh Sadar upazila, was meanwhile buried on Friday morning at her village home.
Her father Rokon Uddin is a police inspector at the Habiganj Sadar Police Station.
“Rumpa came out of the house last Wednesday evening after changing her sandals, and leaving her bag with her cousin Shuvo. She made a phone call to her mother saying there are some emergencies and she will be back home after completing the work, but had gone missing since then,” said Rokon.
The father, years ago, asked Rumpa not to take her mobile out if she goes out of home at night as she lost a cellphone from Bailey Road in the capital earlier, said Rokon explaining why she did not carry her phone with her.
He also said if Rumpa had to commit suicide, she could have done it from home, there is no reason to go out of house to do so.
Students continue protest
Students of Stamford University Bangladesh continued their protest for the second consecutive day yesterday demanding justice over Rumpa’s alleged murder.
Students and teachers of Siddheshwari and Dhanmondi campuses of the university formed separate human chains in front of the main entrances of the university in Dhaka on Saturday morning.
Later, they brought out processions and paraded the city streets.
Holding various placards inscribed with "Justice for Rumpa," “No mercy for rapist," and "Hang the rapist," the demonstrators demanded proper investigation into the death.
Students and teachers will hold sit-in programs at their respective campuses on Sunday protesting the alleged murder.