5 to die in Runa gangrape, murder case in Kushtia

The convicts are Imarul, Mahatab, Kamal, Uzzal and Nazrul of Gobindogunia village in Mirpur upazila in Kushtia district.

Three accused were acquitted in the verdict delivered by the District and Session Judge's court. The case was on the list of sensational cases.

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According to court source, Imrul and his four accomplices had entered Runa's room on the night of 15 May 2003 and dragged her out by pressing a cloth on her mouth. They took her to a nearby paddy filed, gangraped and slaughtered her.

Runa was a student of class VIII at Mirpur Girls High School.

Imrul used to tease her on way to school. He had proposed to Runa's father Mokbul, a carpenter, to marry her. But she declined.

The sources said that on that fateful night, some of the villagers had heard Runa's screams while being violated but none dared to save her as the miscreants were influential and possessed arms.

Imrul was a close associate of a local BNP leader, they said.

After the incident, local people, joined by students, journalists and human rights activists brought out processions demanding arrest and

punish the killers. Women also joined the demonstrations.

PALOK, a local legal aid and human rights organisation, extended legal aid to the victims father after her brother Liton filed a case with Mirpur police station accusing eight persons.