Rape and Murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu refers to the gang rape and murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a Bangladeshi student, by unknown person(s).[1][2]
Tonu was a 19-year-old student of Comilla Victoria College.[3] Her father was an employee of Comilla Cantonment board.[4] Her dead body was found on 20 March 2016 in Comilla Cantonment.[5] She had gone to study at a private tutors when she disappeared.[6]
Tonu's father Lalu, also known as Kalu, filed a murder case with Kotwali Model Police Station in Comilla against persons unknown. The police transferred the case to Detective Branch.[7] The case was handed out to the Criminal Investigation Department on 1 April 2016. The first autopsy found no evidence of rape or murder, which was released on 4 April 2016.[8] The report created controversy. Bangladesh High Court ordered a second autopsy.[3] The initial autopsy was conducted in Chittagong Medical College.[9] She was buried in Mirzapur, in Muradnagar Upazila, Comilla District.[10]
The second autopsy conducted in Comilla Medical College Hospital had found evidence of rape.[11] A DNA test conducted under the Criminal Investigation Department found evidence of rape through DNA testing in May 2016.[5] Semen from three men was found in Tonu's underwear by the crime lab of CID.[12]
CID quizzed an army officer's son, Piyal, who allegedly had harassed her several times.[13] CID also interrogated two army personnel.[14]
Tonu's parents claimed that an army sergeant named Zahid and his wife were involved in the incident. However, no such persons were interrogated by the authorities.[15][16]
Even after 4 years of investigation, authorities were unable to make any headway.[17][18]
On October 21, 2020, the Criminal Investigation Department handed the case over to PBI.[19]
The murder created nationwide protests in Bangladesh and stated a social media movement.[20][21] Protests took places in campuses all over Bangladesh and Bangladesh Students Union led protest to the Prime Ministers office.[22][23]