Schoolgirl who was 'stalked' takes her own life in Pirojpur

Rukaiya Rupa. Photo: Collected

A schoolgirl allegedly took her own life in Bhandaria upazila of Pirojpur early today “after she was threatened with circulating fake photos on social media by a stalker”.

The deceased was identified as Rukaiya Rupa, 15, a class-X student of Bandar Government Girls’ High School and daughter of Ruhul Munshi from Bhandaria village in the upazila.

The father Ruhul Munshi alleged that one Tamim Khan, 19, son of Manju Khan of the same village, used to stalk his daughter on the way to school for a long time, our Pirojpur correspondent reports.

On Friday afternoon, Tamim allegedly threatened Rupa that he would circulate an indecent photo edited with her face on it in social media, Ruhul Munshi claimed.

After returning home Rupa shared it with her mother. However, before the parents could talk about the situation, they found the door of Rupa’s room locked from inside and upon breaking the door they found her in an unconscious state around 10:30pm, the father said.

She took a huge number of sleeping pills, her parents told the correspondent.

Rupa was rushed to Bhandaria Upazila Health Complex. Later, she was referred to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital where she breathed her last around 2:30am.

Hyatul Islam Khan, superintendent of police in Pirojpur, said that they have come to know about the incident and go for legal action after receiving a written complaint on this regard.

Meanwhile, protesting the incident, the fellow students of Rupa arranged a human chain in the upazila this morning.