Bid to Sexually Abuse Student
SUST students, locals clash: 25 injured
Staff Correspondent, Sylhet
An attempt of sexual abuse on a female student by a local led to sporadic clashes between the students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and locals at city's Madina market adjacent to the university Thursday night.The agitating students put up barricades on the Sylhet-Sunamganj road for about four hours and damaged a number of vehicles. The clashes left at least 25 injured, including Proctor Dr Sajedul Karim. Among the injured, conditions of two students were serious. The situation, however, was brought under control with the deployment of huge number of police in the early hours yesterday. Sources said the female student of SUST was returning from tuition on the second floor of Moyna Manjil at Madina market area Thursday evening. On the first floor, owner of the building Abdul Quddus, whose daughter is her friend, invited her to his flat for a cup of tea. In the flat, Quddus with the help of his maidservant tried to sexually abuse her, the victim alleged. The girl managed to free herself and cried for help. Some of her fellow students residing on the ground and fourth floors of the building came out and asked Quddus about the incident. As Quddus failed to convince them, the students went on the rampage kicking at the doors and windows of the building. A good number of students from the nearby area joined them as the news spread within minutes. The agitating students put up barricades on the Sylhet-Sunamganj Road and laid siege to the building demanding immediate punishment to Quddus. Police charged baton on the agitating students to bring the situation under control. Later, at about 9:30pm the additional district magistrate along with police forces went to the area and asked the students to withdraw the barricade. When Quddus was brought out of the house, he openly apologised for the incident. Police took Quddus and his maidservant under their custody at about 11:10pm. However, the situation went tense again as the students put up barricade in front of the varsity gate on the Sylhet-Sunamganj Road and damaged autorickshaws and tempos at around 11:30pm. A clash ensued and continued for about an hour as the locals came out on the street protesting the vandalism. Additional police teams were deployed in and around the varsity area after midnight. The victim filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Act, accusing Abdul Quddus and his maidservant, with the Kotwali police, a police official said.
| 
