A video showing a female school student being publicly slapped in Cumilla has gone viral on social media. The incident occurred about a month ago in Cumilla Adarsha Sadar Upazila, but the video began circulating widely on Friday. The accused has been identified as Mohammad Jihad, a local resident of the area, who is known as a local troublemaker.
The 13-second video shows five female students in school uniforms standing on a road beside their school. One of the students was speaking with a young man when another young man suddenly ran up and slapped her. Another person accompanying the assailant recorded the incident on a mobile phone. The assault took place in a public space outside the school premises.
The principal of the school told Prothom Alo that although the incident happened about a month ago, the victim did not inform the school authorities or file a complaint at the time. The matter came to the school’s attention only after the video spread online. The school later held a meeting with local community members and plans to meet with the student’s guardians to determine further steps.
A shop owner near the scene, speaking anonymously, said the group involved frequently harasses girls in the area and described them as organised troublemakers. He alleged that the accused’s family is influential and is attempting to suppress the incident. He also questioned the inhumanity of recording and later posting the video online.
Cumilla Adarsha Sadar Upazila Executive Officer Fatema Tuz Zohra said she learned of the incident through the media and termed it unacceptable, adding that she was looking into the matter. Cumilla Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Touhidul Anwar said the accused’s father had been summoned, both parties were asked to appear at the police station, and legal action would be taken after speaking with the victim and her family.
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