The Dhaka Metropolitan Police have apprehended five individuals following a harrowing incident of vigilante violence in the affluent Gulshan district, where a homeless woman was bound to a lamp post and publicly humiliated. The assault, which occurred on the morning of Friday, 2 January, gained national attention after footage of the torture began circulating on social media, prompting a swift intervention by law enforcement.
According to Mohammad Rakibul Hasan, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gulshan Police Station, the incident took place at approximately 7:30 am in the Norda locality, specifically outside the Markazut Ta’leem Al Islami Madrasa. The victim, described as a vagrant with no fixed address, was allegedly apprehended by a group of students from the institution on suspicion of theft. Rather than notifying the authorities, the group took the law into their own hands, securing the woman to an electric pole with rope and dousing her with water—an act intended to cause physical distress and public shame.
Suo Motu Police Investigation
In a notable move, the police initiated the case suo motu (on their own motion), as no formal complaint was lodged by the victim or any witnesses. OC Rakibul Hasan confirmed that investigators meticulously reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area to identify the perpetrators.
“We have successfully detained five individuals identified in the footage,” the OC stated during a press briefing on Sunday. “Significantly, three of the suspects are minors. All of those arrested are students of the local madrasa.” The police administration is currently deliberating with senior legal officials regarding the prosecution of the underage suspects, while the adults remain in custody.
Context and Consequences of the Assault
| Event Detail | Description |
| Incident Type | Vigilante “Street Justice” / Physical Torture |
| Victim Profile | Unidentified homeless woman (vagrant) |
| Suspects’ Background | Students of Markazut Ta’leem Al Islami Madrasa |
| Total Detained | 5 Persons (2 Adults, 3 Minors) |
| Legal Basis | Suo motu action based on CCTV and viral evidence |
| Location | Norda, Gulshan, Dhaka |
The brutal nature of the assault has triggered widespread condemnation from human rights organisations and civil society. Critics have pointed out that the vulnerability of the victim—being a homeless woman—made her an easy target for such primitive displays of power. This case underscores a worrying trend of “mob justice” in urban areas, where citizens bypass the judicial system to inflict immediate, often illegal, punishment on suspected petty criminals.
The university proctorial body and local human rights groups have called for a thorough investigation to ensure that those responsible for this inhumane treatment are held fully accountable under the law, regardless of their student status or the nature of the alleged theft.