Attempted murder complaint filed against Rucsu GS Ammar, 8 others over RU library assault

An attempted murder complaint has been filed before a Rajshahi court against Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (Rucsu) General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar and eight others Rucsu and Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders over the assault on a student inside the university's central library.

The complaint was filed yesterday (30 July) at the Cognisance Court of Rajshahi's Motihar Police Station by MS Asad Uz Zaman, father of injured student Mahmudul Hasan, according to court sources.

The court directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to investigate the allegations, according to the complainant's lawyer Hazrat Ali.

Other accused are Rucsu Assistant General Secretary Salman Sabbir, Information and Research Secretary BM Nazmus Sakib, Deputy Information and Research Secretary Sifat Abu Saleh, Shahid Ziaur Rahman Hall GS Ariful Islam, Shahid Habibur Rahman Hall Vice-President Ahsan Ullah Farhan, Nawab Abdul Latif Hall GS Nurul Islam Shahid, Rajshahi University unit Chhatra Shibir Media and Publicity Secretary Mehedi Sajib, and Senate student representative Fahim Reza.

The complaint also names 17 to 18 unidentified individuals.

According to the complaint, between 12:30pm and 1pm on 27 July, a group of 19 to 20 people armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks and other weapons surrounded Mahmudul Hasan inside the university's central library and assaulted him with the intention of killing him.

The complaint alleges that Ammar repeatedly struck the victim on the head and forehead with an iron rod, while the other accused also beat him with rods and bamboo sticks, causing serious injuries. It further claims that several attackers pinned him to the ground and attempted to suffocate him by pressing on his chest and neck. Even after volunteers and locals rescued him and placed him in an ambulance, the attackers allegedly dragged him out and assaulted him again.

Lawyer Hazrat Ali said the court has asked the PBI to submit its investigation report within the stipulated time.

The case stems from an incident on 27 July in which three students, including one accused of having links to the banned Chhatra League, were allegedly assaulted by Rucsu and Chhatra Shibir leaders and activists inside the university's central library following an earlier altercation at the proctor's office.

On 29 July, a group of Rajshahi University students formed a human chain in front of the central library, demanding action against Rucsu and Chhatra Shibir leaders over the alleged assault. The protest, held under the banner of general students, was addressed by Rajshahi University Chhatra Dal President Sultan Ahmed Rahi, Organising Secretary Mahmudul Hasan Mithu and others.