OC, other cops rape a woman

An officer-in-charge and several other policemen allegedly gang-raped a woman in Khulna on Friday night.

Osman Gani Pathan, OC of Government Railway Police Station in Khulna, was named an accused when the victim filed a complaint in this regard with the district’s additional chief judicial magistrate’s court on Sunday.

Railway Police yesterday formed a three-member committee to investigate the allegation against the policemen.

Authorities have asked the probe body, headed by Firoz Ahmed, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Kushtia Railway Circle, to submit a report within seven days.

Mohammad Nazrul Islam, superintendent of police of Pakshi Railway District of GRP, yesterday issued the directives through an office order. The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the order.

Earlier on Friday evening, the woman came to Khulna from Jashore by train to visit her mother, who was undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).

Speaking to The Daily Star, the woman’s younger sister said that around 7:30pm, the woman was detained inside the train by railway police in Phultala Railway Station. She was then forced to disembark and was taken to Khulna Railway Station.

At the station, the first to rape her was OC Osman Gani Pathan. After him, the other policemen took turns in raping her.

The next day, the alleged rapists filed a case against the victim for possessing five bottles of Phensedyl, after which a court sent her to jail.

On Sunday, the victim filed a bail petition with the district’s additional chief judicial magistrate’s court and filed the complaint against the policemen, the sister said.

The court then sent her to KMCH for a medical test.

Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, KMCH’s chief of forensics department Dr Shafiuzzaman said her medical test was completed and the report would be released soon.

The victim’s sister also alleged that OC Osman offered a large sum of money to cover up the incident. After the family refused to take the money, they were warned not to take any further steps over this issue.

A case will be filed against the rapists today, she added.

Contacted, the OC denied the allegations and claimed he was not present at the police station that night.

SP Mohammad Nazrul Islam said they would take further legal steps, following the medical test and probe reports.