HSC student commits suicide for alleged police harassment

CHATTOGRAM, Dec 21: A young man committed suicide shortly after he and his parents were interrogated by law enforcement in relation to a report filed with the Kotwali thana in Chattogram.
The incident took place at around 10:30pm last (Wednesday) night at a house at Tankir Hill in Lalkhan Bazar in the port city. The family members of the victim alleged that Kotwali thana police harassed them and demanded bribes.
The victim was identified as Minhajul Islam Rafi, 20, son of one Noman, an auto-rickshaw driver.
Family members of the victim alleged that victim Rafi took his own life for being humiliated by police. The police also demanded bribe during questioning, they further alleged.
According to mother Ranu Begum, Officer in Charge (OC) (Investigation) of Kotwali thana Arman Hossain of Kotwali thana asked them on Wednesday to go to the thana. After reaching the Kotowali thana in the evening, police kept Rafi confined for a long time. At one stage, police took away Rafi's mobile phone and demanded Tk 2.0 lakh as bribe. Failure to do that will lead to Rafi's arrest, they threatened.
Ranu Begum said, "We requested the OC (Investigation) for nearly half an hour to release our son, but the police demanded Taka 2.0 lakh for that. When we told him that we have only Taka 5,000 with us, he asked us to leave the money in the bathroom. After leaving the money there, they allowed us to go. He asked to pay the remaining amount within 24 days."
When contacted, OC (Investigation) of Kotwali thana Arman Hossain said that on December 9, a young woman filed a GD against Rafi. With the permission of the court, Rafi was summoned along with his parents for GD investigation. His mobile phone was seized for the purpose of investigation. His parents cried a lot.
He denied the allegation relating to bribe money and said, "this is a lie."
Sources said, a young woman from Firingi Bazar area filed a GD against Rafi claiming that she had a love affair with Rafi. They traveled to different places. At this time, Rafi took a picture with him. As the young woman's family came to know about their relationship, the parents forced her not to make any contact with Rafi. The girl informed Rafi and asked him to delete the pictures from his mobile. Rafi threatened to spread the pictures on social media if she did not continue relationship with him.
Inspector Arman Hossain summoned Rafi and his family for questioning regarding the GD. The inspector claimed that Rafi had confessed to his actions and that his mobile phone was seized for investigation purposes.
Khulishi thana police recovered Rafi's body at Tankir Hill in Lalkhanbazar in Chattogram. The 20-year-old was an HSC student at a local college. SI Jamal Uddin of Khulshi thana said that the body was recovered and sent to the Chattogram Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

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