Lone witness Saptarshi lands in 'safe home'

Saptarshi, the lone witness to her mother Papiya¿s murder.. PHOTO: STAR

Police and court sources said Papiya's mother Manzila Khatun applied to a court in Dhaka for taking Saptarshi to her custody.

In the prayer, she claimed that Saptarshi's life may be in danger in the house of her paternal grand mother because she is the lone witness to the murder of her mother. Papiya's husband Tuhin has been accused in the murder case filed by her elder sister Mahbuba Huq Kumkum.

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The court in Dhaka on November 23 ordered Barisal Kotwali police to take Saptarshi from the house of her paternal grand mother and hand over her to her maternal grand mother.

Advocate Ahsan Habib, representative of Ain O' Salish Kendra, Manzila Khatun and Kumkum reached Barisal with the court order and handed it over to Sheikh Zillur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Barisal Kotwali police station on November 24. Saptarshi was taken from her parental grandmothers house.

As per the court order, Sub-inspector Habibur Rahman, made preparations to hand over Saptarshi to her maternal grandmother in presence of a magistrate, lawyers, journalists and human rights activists in Barisal Thursday evening.

Sadar Upazila Magistrate Munim Hassan, who was present there then decided to send Saptarshi to a government 'safe home' under the Barisal Social Welfare Department. She was taken there Friday night. The decision wax taken on humanitarian ground, violating the court order.

Police and the district administration will explain their position to court during the next hearing of Papiya murder case, fixed for December 6, the Kotwali thana OC said.

Meanwhile the three-day remand of Israt Jahan Swapna, 44, Papiya's sister-in-law and one of the two accused in the case, ended on Saturday. But police declined to say anything.

Papiya, 29, was murdered at the house of her mother-in-law in the city on November 3 and the body was buried in Barisal Muslim Graveyard.

Police arrested Papiya's sister-in-law Swapna on November 8, a day after filing of the case. Her husband Tuhin in also accused but he is absconding, police said.