Rab, detectives quiz Tonu's family

The Rapid Action Battalion and detectives in Comilla yesterday quizzed the family members of Sohagi Jahan Tonu in connection with her murder a week earlier.

Her parents Yaar Hossain and Anwara Hossain, brother Nazmul Hossain and a cousin-sister were brought to the office of Rab-11 in Comilla city around 3:30am from their Mirzapur village home in Muradnagar upazila.

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They went to the village to bury the 19-year-old college student.

Nazmul said the Rab men dropped them at their house in Comilla Cantonment around 5:00am after the interrogation. Khorshed Alam, commander of Rab-11 in Comilla, also confirmed this. 

Again in the afternoon, detectives took the family members from the Cantonment house to Kotwali Police Station for interrogation, said police.

Tonu, an undergraduate history student of Comilla Victoria College and a theatre activist, was found dead in Moinamoti area on the night of March 20. She was laid to rest in Mirzapur village the next day.

Comilla Superintendent of Police Shah Abid Hossain said investigators believe Tonu was killed following an attempted rape. But they would confirm it after getting the autopsy report.

However, her friends and fellow theatre activists allege that she was raped before being murdered. They also accuse the local administration of playing a "dubious role" regarding the incident.

Tonu's father Yaar Hossain, an office assistant of Comilla Cantonment Board, filed a murder case with Comilla Kotwali Model Police Station on March 21. But police have yet to arrest anyone.

Yesterday, several thousand people, including students of Victoria College, staged a protest rally in the city's Kandirpar area, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.

They condemned law enforcers for their failure to nab a single suspect.

“It has been six days and not a single suspect has been detained. We will continue our protests till the culprits are arrested and their exemplary punishment is ensured,” said Rashedul Islam, president of Victoria College Theatre.

People from all walks of life attended the rally, which continued for several hours till evening, blocking a busy road at the heart of Comilla city.

SP Shah Abid Hossain told BBC Bangla last night that they are facing “some limitations” while probing the murder, as the crime scene is in a restricted area like cantonment.

“The place is a restricted area. We cannot go there at ease to look for suspects. Those who are there have to provide us information.”

On quizzing the family members, the SP said, “They were interrogated as they are the plaintiffs in the case and dear ones of the victim. We could not talk with them earlier because of their mental state.”

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said they will be able to unearth the mystery behind the killing.

“Police and intelligence officials are working. They have started their work from the place where the killing took place ... ,” he said at an Independence Day programme at Rajarbagh Police Lines.

The minister did not make any comment on the progress in the investigation.

Addressing an event at the Rab headquarters in the capital, Rab Director General Benazir Ahmed said they too were working to solve the murder mystery.

“Hopefully, we will be able to give you good news soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, the case was handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of Police yesterday, said police sources.

On Friday night, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the army authorities are providing full support to the police in investigating the murder of Tonu.

In a press release, it said “the unconscious body” of the 19-year-old college student was found in the bordering area of the cantonment by her father around 11:00pm on March 20. He had informed the military police about it.

Right away, Tonu was taken to the Combined Military Hospital there and the doctor on duty declared her dead, read the release. 

ROAD MARCH

A faction of Gonojagoron Mancha held a rally joined by hundreds of people at the capital's Shahbagh yesterday, demanding justice for Tonu.

Its spokesperson Imran H Sarker said no measures had yet been taken though about a week had gone by. “We suspect a powerful group was involved in the incident as it took place in the cantonment area.”

"Various influential groups are causing obstructions to the mass protests in Comilla. We will march towards Comilla to support the locals."

Imran threatened to block the Shahbagh intersection for an indefinite period if the killers of Tonu are not brought to book soon.

The Gonojagoron Mancha faction from a demonstration on Friday announced a plan for a “road march” to Comilla.

[A Comilla correspondent contributed to this report]