Efforts are underway to arrest Shahjalal Rumi, the man who assaulted a Qariul Quran International Madrasa teacher in Tongi’s Auchpara area after his seven-year-old daughter accused the educator of sexually harassing her.
Speaking to Daily Waadaa, Tongi West Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Arifur Rahman said a case was filed against him on October 23.
“Both sides have filed cases. We arrested the madrasa teacher earlier. Later, the madrasa principal filed another case. We are working to arrest the accused named in that case,” he said.
The madrasa’s vice-principal, Musleuddin, was arrested yesterday.
Asked what the case against Rumi stated, Arifur said he had been accused of looting Tk17 lakh, alongside multiple other allegations in the first information report, including vandalism, looting, forcible entry and assault.
Asked whether police had found preliminary evidence to support the allegations, OC Arifur Rahman said they had, adding that police were also examining CCTV footage of the incident, which went viral on social media yesterday.
The case against Rumi was filed by Qariul Quran International Madrasa principal and founder Md Almas Hossain, 41.
In it, he accused Rumi, 30, and 10-15 identified people of trespassing, attempted murder, molestation, vandalism, causing injuries and issuing threats.
He was further accused of stealing 17 lakh taka.
Rumi has alleged that the teacher sexually harassed his daughter and threatened to kill her if she told her parents about the harassment.
He also denied the looting allegations, saying the CCTV footage contained all the information.
After the video of the slap spread on social media, many people expressed support for the father on Facebook and demanded justice for the teacher’s alleged actions. Others criticised Rumi for taking the law into his own hands.
Meanwhile, Rumi held a press briefing on Friday night, seeking security for himself and his family.
He also demanded justice for what happened to his daughter and an impartial investigation into the allegations against him, adding that his anger was directed at what had happened, not at madrasas or any religion.
Madrasa authorities have said the allegations against the accused teacher are entirely false and that the incident is part of a conspiracy against the madrasa.
They said Musleuddin had stated that he would give each child who got good results a peck on the cheek, rejecting any sexual connotation to the proposition.
The child in question continued to attend classes, madrasa authorities added.