Rajshahi College student dies on RU campus, family claims murder

A Rajshahi College student has reportedly died in a motorcycle accident on Rajshahi University (RU) campus.

While the university authorities claimed it was a bike accident, doctors said there was no scratch on his body except an injury to the head.

The deceased has been identified as Shimul Shihab, a first-year student of the Political Science Department of Rajshahi College from the Meherchandi Budhpara area of Rajshahi city.

Shihab was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) around 11pm last night (23 January), where the doctors on duty declared him dead.

RMCH officials said he died due to bleeding in the head. No injury marks or blood stains were found on his body. Shihab's family claimed he was beaten to death.

"The boy was chased from all sides. Getting scared, he pulled his motorcycle in a hast and fell in front of the Third Science Building," said Rajshahi's Motihar Police Station OC Md Abdul Malek.

"A girl accompanying the boy told us that the boy was hit on the head with a badminton bat. The family will file a complaint in this regard," added.

RU Proctor Professor Mahbubur Rahman said the assistant proctor was conducting a regular patrol on the campus in the university proctor's car.

"During the patrol, we saw a boy and a girl standing behind the third science building with a bike. They tried to escape hastily on their bike after seeing the proctor's car," Mahbubur said.

"Construction work was ongoing on the road they were using to flee. There were rods on the road. An accident occurred while they were passing over the rod. The boy fell unconscious," he added.

The proctor said students were playing badminton in the field nearby. Seeing the bike fall, they came forward. The proctor's patrol car behind also went there. Seeing the boy unconscious, they were first taken to the university medical centre and later to RMCH by ambulance, where the doctors on duty declared him dead.

"The matter will be further clarified after the autopsy report today," he added.

The deceased's father, Jamal, said, "We don't know anything about how he died. If there were an accident, his body would have injury marks. At least there would be scratch marks."

"There would be marks of damage to the motorcycle, but there were none. Also, no injury marks were found on the girl either," he added.