Beauty murder: Confessions given, briefing tomorrow

Six people today gave confessional statements before a magistrate over the killing of Beauty Akhter of Habiganj, who's rape and murder last month took the country by storm.

Habiganj Senior Judicial Magistrate Towhidul Islam recorded the statements of Babul Mia, the key accused in the murder, his mother Kolomchan Bibi, Beauty's father Sayed Ali, her paternal uncle Moyna Mia, her grandmother Fatema Begum, and Moyna Mia's wife Asma Begum today.

Our Moulvibazar correspondent quotes Habiganj police's Additional Superintendent Rabiul Islam to report that a briefing will be held to disclose the contents of their confessional statements tomorrow.

The incident of Beauty's murder came to light when a photograph of Beauty lying dead on a field went viral on Facebook. Many blamed the police for failing to prevent the death of Beauty, especially when a rape case was already enlisted against Babul Mia before the murder.

According to the case statement, Babul had been harassing and stalking 16-year-old Beauty for some time and forced her to skip school and stay at home. As Beauty took job at a factory, the stalking resumed. On January 21, Babul abducted Beauty and raped her for a month.

The case adds, Babul let Beauty go after a month - when the latter's father filed a rape and abduction case with Shaistaganj police, against Babul and his mother Kolomchan Bibi, who is also a Union Parishad member at Brahmandora.

The case said, Babul had been threatening the family to withdraw the case. And finally, when the father sent beauty away to her grandfather's house in Lakhai, Babul abducted her again and killed her. Her body was found on Brahmandora Haor on March 16.

Beauty's father Sayed Ali filed a murder suit against Babul and several unknown others on March 18. Police later arrested Babul, his mother Kolomchan Bibi, and another suspect Ismail.