Woman student 'commits suicide' hours after being assaulted by stalker

An 18-year-old woman was reportedly hanged herself from the ceiling fan, hours after she was assaulted by a stalker en route to college from home at Bera upazila in Pabna.

The family recovered the hanging body of Sushmita Khatun, 18, from her room at around 2:00 pm on Tuesday.

Sushmita, the eldest daughter of Jaidul Hossain of Moitrabadha village of the upazila, was a second-year student of Bera Government College. It is being alleged that Ashik Hossain, 20, from Sonatala village of Sathia upazila, assaulted her.   

It is learnt that Sushmita and Ashik would love each other. But Sushmita stepped back and stopped contacting Ashik three months ago, knowing his unethical activities -- a step that enraged him. So, he threatened Sushmita with dire consequence several times.         

Her classmates said Sushmita along with two classmates left home around 10:00am for college. When they reached near the college, Ashik intercepted them all of a sudden.  At that time, Sushmita tried to run away, but Ashik chased her down and forcibly put her in a rickshaw. Her classmates didn’t disclose the matter to anyone at the college, except one or two close friends, fearing reprisals.

At around 12:00pm, when they came out of class, they saw her crying standing in front of the college. Later, her classmates took her home by a rickshaw.  

Upon returning home, Sushmita told her family that she was beaten up severely. At a stage, she entered her room and closed the door. Unable to get her responses for a long time, the family broke open the door and saw her body hanging from the ceiling fan. Though she was taken to the hospital immediately, the on-duty physician declared her dead.     

Neighbours said her father runs a tea stall to earn bread and butter for the family. Sushmita was the eldest daughter while the youngest one, Suborna, studies at class VIII. It was her father’s dream that one day both the sisters would be educated.      

Bera model police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Asaduzzaman said the body of the woman has been sent to the morgue for autopsy. No case has been filed yet in this incident. However, efforts are underway to detain Ashik.