Rajshahi court orders for proper investigation into Raudha’s death

Rajshahi magistrate court of Bangladesh has ordered the police to conduct a full and proper investigation into the death of Maldivian medical student and model, Raudha Athif, 21.

Raudha was found dead in her dorm room at Islami Bank Medical College in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, on March 29.

Rajshahi magistrate court’s order for a full and proper investigation into the death follows a suit filed on behalf of the family by her father Dr. Mohamed Athif claiming the police started the investigation into the death with the presumption it was a suicide and constructed the entire case around the presumption, rejecting all evidence which suggested otherwise.

Athif, a physician by profession, spoke to “Sun” this Monday and said he was convinced marks found on Raudha’s body and other evidence found proved her death was not a suicide.

“I examined Raudha’s body not as a father, but as a professional expert. Even any medical student who saw the marks on her neck would know she was strangled. There want be such marks on someone who hanged using a scarf,” said Athif.

Athif said that the Bangladesh police had reported Raudha’s death as a suicide to the media before the investigation was complete.

Athif also said the police tried to use conversations found after Maldivian police unlocked

Raudha’s phone which showed she had a disagreement with her boyfriend by presenting it as proof Raudha killed herself.

“The question I raised in court was; why is the police trying to present Raudha’s death as a suicide? I asked that the case be properly investigated,” he said.

Athif also said that the family was aware Raudha had been having problems with fellow college mate Seerat Paruveen Mohamed and that she had even tried to slip Raudha a large quantity of sleeping pills mixed in a drink.

He said that data found from Seerat’s phone also showed evidence of problems between the two.

It had been Seerat who had reported Raudha’s death.

Athif said he had not asked that Seerat be prosecuted, but had raised the possibility of her involvement in the death given the suspicions.

He said that the court has ordered the police to conduct a full and proper investigation as requested by the family.

Athif remains in Bangladesh but the rest of the family have returned back to Maldives.