Investigative Report of HRCBM on the incident of murder of Ms.Shampa Sarkar (16) –bride at East Merul – Badda P.S. within Dhaka Metropolitan City (Investigation conducted by HRCBM-Dhaka on 20th of April, 2007).
I, Adv.Rabindra Ghosh along with Noyan of HRCBM-Dhaka rushed to the spot on 20th of April, 07 as soon as we came to know that a newly married Shampa Rani was found hanged dead with the ceiling fan at the house of Gopal Das at East Merul within Badda police station, Dhaka.
GROUND INFORMATION :
Ms.Shampa Sarkar (16) daughter of Sukumar Sarkar (F) Ms.Alo Rani Sarkar (M) of village Kurlia, Uzirpur P.S., within Barisal district got married one Gopal Chandra Das son of Amar Chandra Das (20) on 27th November, 06 of East Merul –L-5, Badda P.S. Dahka-1212. The marriage was solemnized on November 27, 2006 through an Affidavit sworn in by Notary Public of Bangladesh duly attested by Md.Mahabub Hossain, Advocate Supreme Court of Bangladesh. The contents of the Affidavit seems that the marriage was due to love and affection between the couple, ultimately the marriage was recognized by both the sides.
Dead body of Shampa Sarkar was found hanging tied with a ceiling fan in the southern bed room of house of Gopal Candra Das on 4th of April, 2007 at about 9.00 p.m.at East Merual L-5 Badda P.S. four kilometers away from Badda Police Camp at Dhaka. But other members of the houses fled away soon after the occurrence. Sukumar Sarkar - father of the victim was given to understand that his eldest daughter- Shampa committed suicide on 04.04.2007 from unknown telephone call.
Sukumar Sarkar lodged F.I.R. at Badda Police station on 5th April, 07 against 1) Gopal Das, 2) Nani Das 3) Bina Das 4) Mati lal Das 6) Amar Das 7) Pintu Das under section 302/34 of the Penal code for alleged murder. The case has been registered as Badda P.S. case No. 17 dated 05.04.2007.
Badda Police sent the dead body of victim to Dhaka Medical College for morgue and made an inquest report on 05.04.2007.
INVESTIGATION :
We went to Badda police station at about 11 a.m. and met with I.O. of the case – Salauddin. He game us a copy of FIR lodged by Sukumar Sarkar on request and wanted to visit the spot. Accordingly we went to the house of bridegroom - Gopal Das at West Merul L-5, we found the house of Gopal under lock initiated by the local police and the police kept the keys of the house to one neighbor and met with some neighbor who are very much in panic to disclose anything to us. But they gave us the key of the house and they opened the house and we entered into the house and found two bedrooms and one kitchen and all the scattered belongings were lying there. We also came to know that other inmates of the house were absconding for fear of arrest.
Meeting with Sukumar Sarkar – father of the victim:
We also went to rented house of Sukumar Sarkar located at KA-40/1 Shajadpur Gulshan and found the members of their family, talked with Ms.Alo Rani - the mother of the victim girl burst into tears and sought for justice from us as their daughter has been brutally hanged to death after murder by the members of bridegroom. They also told us that the victim appeared at the S.S.C.Examination, but the members of the family did not like her to continue her study. They also expressed that there was continuous oppression upon the victim after the marriage. They also made an appeal to our Human Rights organization for proper justice. We taped the statements of father, mother and sister of the victim girl at our video camera. We also took pictures of the dead body of the victim from them.
Meeting with Salauddin – I.O. of Badda Police station :
We also met again with Md.Salauddin – the investigating officer of the case at Badda police station. During investigation he gave us to understand that the medical report with regard to death of the victim could not be obtained, as it was not returned from Dhaka Medical College. He also told us that he would submit charge sheet against the accused after getting medical report. He also expressed opinion that the dead due to strangulation.
It has also been made clear in his inquest preliminary report submitted on 05,-04,2007 that somebody killed the victim and the dead body hanged with the ceiling fan. But he could not ascertain us why those accused involved with in this murder were not arrested. But I.O. told us that it is the responsibility of the informant to find out the accused where they are absconding.
Meeting with Dr.Mizanul Hoque, Professor Forensic Department of DMC
On 21st of April 2007 at about 12 a.m I went to Dhaka Medical College along with father of victim and met with Dr.Mizanul Hoque at his office. Dr. Mizanul Hoque without looking into the documents of the victim – Shampa stated that the death is due to suicide and not strangulation. So he has already made up his mind to submit report as suicide.
We have also asked the medical board to justify their contention about the murder but the medical board seems to be silent over the matter and the postmortem report is far from satisfactory. The Medical Board seems to be annoyed with our investigation and they felt reluctant to take any picture of investigation.
Recommendations :
As per documents/pictures produced and the report submitted by police it has been established that the death of Ms.Shampa Sarkar is due to strangulation and after death the members of bridegroom family hanged the victim with the ceiling fan and concealed fact and committed serious crime against humanity. . But the statements of Dr.Mizanul Hoque of Forensic Department of DMC are far from circumstantial evidences.
HRCBM believes that this is a planned murder of an innocent and newly wed girl at the initial stage of her life. We urge the law enforcing agency of Bangladesh to take up the case, apprehend the killers and bring them to justice. The perpetrators must be dealt with iron hands immediately so that they cannot dare to commit such heinous crimes in the future. We request the office of the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh to take appropriate steps and help bringing the perpetrators to justice according to law.
We came back from Badda at about 6 p.m.
Prepared by: Adv. Rabindra Ghosh
Submitted by:
(Adv.Rabindra Ghosh)
President,
HRCBM-Dhaka,Bangladesh.