Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Abu Taleb who raped and allegedly killed a student of class eight setting her on fire after she became pregnant for seven months from the capital’s Rampura yesterday.
The victim Nilufa, 16, died on January 31 at the Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) after fighting for her life for seven days.
Nilufa, a student of Matankur Paschimpara High School in Comilla, had been violated in June last year by Abu Taleb, 35, a neighbour, with help from Josna, a distant aunt of the victim, said Rab officials at a press briefing at Rab-1 office at Uttara after producing the arrestee before the press.
Comilla police arrested Josna on January 24 following the incident.
Lt Col Mohammad Rashedul Alam, commanding officer of Rab-1, said Taleb and Josna, also a neighbour, reached Nilufa’s home at Martaain Court under Comilla Sadar Dakkhin upazila on January 23 around 7:10pm and informed her that her father had met an accident while he was going to the mosque for Esha prayers.
As soon as Nilufa stepped out of her house, Josna clamped her mouth shut while Taleb, a father of two children, doused flammable liquid on her and lighted a match to her body fearing disclosure of their involvement in rape case, he added.
The victim gave a statement at the DMCH before Metropolitan Magistrate AEM Esmail Hossain on January 26 where she named Taleb and Josna as the culprits, he added.
According to a High Court order on February 23, Rab arrested the main accused Taleb.
Abu Taleb denied his involvement in the crime at the press briefing and claimed he was staying at a shop of nearby market when the incident happened. But he admitted sexual relationship with the victim.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
