A police van, carrying two members of the probe team that is inquiring into the murder of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, has plunged into a roadside ditch on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Cumilla as its driver lost control over the steering, killing three female workers and injuring six others.
The incident was reported in Chandul area near to Miabazar of the district’s Chauddagram Upazila on Saturday (Jun 3), said Inspector Manzurul Haque, in-charge of Miabazar highway police outpost.
The deceased have been identified as Nasima Akhter, 36, from Satbaria village of Chauddagram Upazila, and Tanjina Akter, 28, and Kajal Begum, 32, from Jagpur village of Sadar South Upazila.
Police Bureau of Investigation (PIB) Additional SP Md Moniruzzaman of Feni district and Inspector Sha Alam along with two other constables were in the vehicle when the incident took place, our Feni correspondent reports quoting the inspector.
Additional SP Moniruzzaman is a member of the PIB probe team formed over the Nusrat case while PBI member Inspector Shah Alam is the investigating officer (IO) of the case.
The additional SP was returning to Dhaka from Feni, highway police officer Manzurul told Bangla Tribune.
Manzurul said the accident took place when the driver of the police van lost control over the steering and ran over a group of workers in front of Dragon Sweater & Spinning Mill in the area around 5:30pm before falling into the ditch that left as many as nine female workers injured.
The injured were taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and local health complex with three succumbed to their injuries at CMCH, said the highway police official.
All the deceased were the workers of the factory.
According to the injured, the police van hit them when they were waiting for vehicles after their factory closed for the day.
However, Additional SP Moniruzzaman, Inspector Shah Alam and other two constables sustained minor injuries and given first aid, said the highway police.
The PIB’s additional SP and the inspector are investigating the death of Nusrat, an Alim examinee, who suffered 80% burns after she was set on fire on Apr 6 on the roof of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, for refusing to withdraw sexual assault charges against now suspended madrasa principal Siraj-ud-Daula.
After she was set on fire, her family filed another case against eight people, including Siraj, on Apr 8.
The 18-year-old girl died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Apr 10, after battling with burn injuries for five days.
After a long investigation, PBI pressed charges against sixteen people in the case on May 29.