Hundreds of locals, including teachers and students of Khilgaon area in the capital, yesterday staged demonstration and formed a human chain protesting the suicide of a schoolgirl because of sexual harrasment.
The demonstration began soon after the body of Umme Kulsum Ritu, 15, a Class IX student of East Point Education School and College in Khilgaon, reached the school playground around 3pm following the autopsy at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
She killed herself with poison on Saturday evening in face of continuous sexual harrasment by a local stalker, her family members said.
During the two hour demonstration, school students, teachers and locals laid siege to the house of the alleged stalker in Nandipara area. During the human chain, they also demanded that the culprits be immediately arrested and awarded with exemplary punishment.
Victim’s mother Shathi Begum filed a case with Khilgaon police station, accusing five people, including prime accused Shimul Chandra Mandal.
The victim used to live with her family at Nandipara. She was the eldest among three brothers and sisters. Her father Mohammad Ashiq and mother Sathi Akther are garment workers.
Like everyday, Ritu’s parents went to work and her grandmother Fatema went to a neighbour’s house after lunch. Getting the chance, prime accused Shimul, along with Joy, entered Ritu’s house and tried to abuse her.
Hearing her screaming, Fatema rushed to the house but the stalkers left the spot. Later, Fatema called on Ritu’s Bangla teacher Al-Amin, also their neighbour, for help.
Later, Ritu took the poison to kill herself as Al-Amin and Fatema were outside the house, discussing the steps to be taken in this regard.
Ritu was taken to DMCH where the on-duty doctors declared her dead.Mohammad Foyez, uncle of the deceased, said despite repeated complaints to Shimul’s Father Ranjan Chandra Mandal, no step was taken by him.
With tears in his eyes, Ritu’s father Ashiq said: “They have killed my daughter. ”
Contacted, Mostafiz Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of Khilgaon police station, said they were yet to arrest any of the accused.
“However, we are trying our best to arrest the accused. Hopefully, we will be able to arrest them shortly,” he added.
