Beauty rape, murder: First IO closed for dillydallying

A police officer who was the initial investigation officer in the sensational Beauty rape and murder case has been closed for dillydallying while dealing with the lawsuit.

Shaistaganj Police Station Sub-Inspector Zakir Hossain has been closed, ASM Shamsur Rahman Bhuiyan, additional superintendent of Habiganj police and also chief of the probe committee formed to investigate the case, told our Moulvibazar correspondent.

“If he (SI Zakir Hossain) had taken right initiative at the right time, then maybe, Beauty would have been with us today,”ASP Shamsur Bhuiyan added.

Earlier on March 18, Beauty's father Sayed Ali filed a rape and abduction case accusing Babul and several unknown others at Shaistaganj Police Station. But Zakir Hossain did not take any action against the culprits back then, hence, Beauty lost her life, he added.

Beauty was stalked and harassed on her way to work by Babul Mia and his accomplices. After she complained about the harassment, she was kidnapped from her home, taken to an unidentified place where she was kept hostage for a month (January 21–Febraury 21), and raped.

Later, the victim's father Sayed Ali, a day labourer, filed a rape and abduction case against 11 people including Babul Mia and his mother, who is a local UP member, with Habiganj Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal.

But Babul threatened them to withdraw the case, Sayed sent his daughter to a relative's house in Lakhaiupazila on March 13.On March 16, Babul reportedly kidnapped her again and raped her and killed her. Later, the body was left in a haor in the area.

The victim’s father then filed a case with Shayestaganj Police Station in Habiganj on March 18.