Cops now wait for 2nd autopsy report

Sohagi Jahan Tonu

The CID officials investigating Tonu murder case now look to the second autopsy report for clues as the first report gave almost none.

Nazmul Karim Khan, special superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Comilla, said they have already asked for the second autopsy report.

“Hopefully, we will get it soon,” he told The Daily Star over the phone yesterday.

A second-year history student of Comilla Victoria College, 19-year-old Sohagi Jahan Tonu was found dead in Comilla Cantonment area on the night of March 20.

The first autopsy was conducted at Comilla Medical College Hospital on March 21 and the report was submitted to the forensic medicine department on April 4.

The autopsy found no sign of rape and also failed to ascertain the cause of her death, the report said.

The report was handed over to the investigators yesterday afternoon, adds a Comilla correspondent.

The second autopsy was performed on March 30, two days after a Comilla court ordered the fresh autopsy following the investigators' appeal.

On the progress of the investigation, Nazmul said they got some information by interrogating the victim's family members, and they were now scrutinising those.

Meanwhile, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, an alliance of cultural organisations, yesterday demanded a fair probe into the murder and punishment to those involved in the killing. It also demanded immediate arrest of Tonu's killers.

An eight-member team of the Jote yesterday submitted a memorandum to the home ministry to press home its demand.

Before submitting the memorandum, Jote President Golam Kuddus at a rally at TSC of Dhaka University demanded explanation from the government as to why there were delays in releasing the autopsy report. 

He said the government should ensure arrest of the culprits and exemplary punishment to them so that no one dares to commit such crimes again. 

General Secretary of the Jote Hasan Arif demanded immediate arrest of the culprit(s) and their trial in a speedy trial court.

“Although 15 days have passed since the murder, we have not seen any progress [in the case],” said Nasiruddin Yousuff Bachchu, former president of the alliance.

He also asked that Tonu's family is not harassed. The Jote will decide its future programmes in a meeting on April 11.