<i>Tormented by stalkers she kills herself</i>
Victim of stalking and abduction attempt, a schoolgirl has committed suicide at Baro Rogunathpur village under Padri Shibpur union of Bakerganj upazila in Barisal district.
The victim, Senjuti Aktar, 14, a class X student of Choita School in Madhavkhali union under Mirzaganj upazila of Patuakhali district, lived with her mother Hafiza Begum and two younger sisters, said family sources.
Her father Sadekur Rahman works in Saudi Arabia and her elder sister studies at a college in Dhaka.
Neighbouring youths Saiful Islam, Sabuj Khan, Shamim, Nayon Mridha, Nesaruddin, Razib, Md Nasir often teased Senjuti and gave her indecent proposals.
On October 13 night when Senjuti went to a tubewell near the courtyard of their house for ablution before Esha prayers, the stalkers tried to abduct her by wrapping her face with a gamchha (towel) at about 8:00pm.
Hearing her cry, family members and neighbours rescued her in an unconscious condition while the criminals fled away.
The next day, Senjuti's mother Hafiza Begum informed Bakerganj police station, urging security of her family.
Sub Inspector Afzal Hossain of the police station visited the spot and asked the victim to lodge a formal case against the stalkers.
On October 17, Senjuti's mother lodged a case against the seven alleged stalkers.
Meantime guardians of the accused and a few local influential people threatened Senjuti's family members and misguided her expatriate father Sadekur Rahman through phone. Sadekur rebuked Senjuti and her mother for lodging the case without informing him and asked them not to 'disobey' the local elites.
Utterly frustrated, Senjuti committed suicide by hanging herself from the roof of her bedroom on Friday night.
Police sent the body to Barisal SBMCH and handed it over to guardians after autopsy on Saturday.
Hafiza Begum yesterday lodged another case against the seven stalkers.
Abul Bashar Harun, chairman of Padri Shibpur union, said the accused are notorious stalkers and harass local girls regularly.
Police is trying their best to arrest the accused, said Inspector Rabiul Islam, officer in charge of Bakerganj police station.
Dev Das Bhattacharya, Barisal district superintendent of police, said the authorities will investigate the alleged delay and negligence of police to ensure security of the victim and her family members.
Already the officer in charge of Bakerganj police station has been ordered to be closed to Barisal district police lines after handing over charges to the next official, he said yesterday.
Demanding immediate arrest and punishment of the stalkers and action against police officials for negligence to duty, students and local people formed a human chain in front of Bakerganj Government College and blocked Barisal-Barguna-Kuakata highway yesterday afternoon.
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