Justice elusive

2 years into Tonu murder, no visible progress in probe

Even two years after the murder of college student Tonu, justice seems elusive for her family.

Investigators have failed to identify any suspects, let alone arrest any.

All they say is “investigation is on”. 

“The pace of the probe keeps disappointing us. For the last two years, CID officials have been telling us that they are looking into the case. Actually, they are dilly-dallying over bringing the culprits to book,” Tonu's mother Anwara Begum told The Daily Star recently. 

 “We doubt that we would ever get justice,” she said, adding that her husband, Yaar Hossain, has become sick thinking about their daughter.

Talking to this correspondent, Yaar said, “What will I say? ... It seems the matter is deliberately being covered-up.” 

Khairul Anam Raihan, spokesperson for Comilla Gonojagoron Mancha, a platform that staged several protest programmes demanding the arrest of Tonu's killers, said, “The CID seems hazy about the investigation. But we won't stop [our movement] until Tonu's murderers are arrested. We are planning for another gathering this month.” 

Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a student of Comilla Victoria College and also a theatre activist, was found murdered inside the Comilla Cantonment on this day in 2016.

The incident led to an outrage across the country. Numerous rallies and other protest programmes were organised, demanding the punishment of the killers.

Two autopsies at the Comilla Medical College could not determine the cause of her death though Yaar, who first spotted the body in a bush, saw the back of his daughter's head smashed and injury marks on her nose.

The police inquest report too did not cite any sign of injury. The report said that most of her two-foot hair was cut. Her mouth and eyes were shut.

There was a minor cut and blood spot on the upper part of her left ear. Minor portion of skin on the left of the face and above the right knee had bruises.

Tonu's kameez was torn, the report says without specifying the area.

Victim's family members had seen a ray of hope of getting justice after officials from the CID, which is investigating the case, through DNA tests in May that year found that Tonu was raped before being murdered.

The officials on May 16 that year said the tests of the specimens collected from Tonu's clothes had found spermatozoa of three males.

They claimed to have interrogated more than 100 people, including some army men, but to no avail.

The CID officials also claimed to have collected DNA samples from some people, but those did not match with the three DNA samples found on Tonu's clothes.

Contacted, Assistant Superintendent of CID (Comilla-Noakhali Division) Jalal Uddin, also the investigation officer of the case, said, “The probe is underway. We are still working.

“We need to question some people but they are currently abroad,” he said, adding that he hoped those, on their return, might be quizzed in two months.

“The DNA samples of the spermatozoa found on Tonu's clothes haven't matched with anyone's,” Jalal told our correspondent in Comilla on Saturday. 

Abdul Kahar Akand, additional deputy inspector general of CID, claimed that they were probing the case with due diligence.

• The Daily Star/20-3-18