Staff Correspondent, Narayanganj

Despite the July uprising, administrative discrimination remains in the so-called "Dandy of the East" — Narayanganj. Nearly a year after the death of 6-year-old Riya Gop, who was shot during an anti-discrimination student movement, a case has finally been filed. On Tuesday night (July 1), Sub-Inspector Abu Raihan of Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station filed the case as the complainant.

Confirming the matter, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nasir Uddin Ahmed of the Sadar Model Police Station said the family was encouraged to file the case, but they refused. As a result, the police filed the case themselves on Tuesday night.

Riya Gop was the only child of Dipak Kumar Gop and Beauty Ghosh, residents of the Nayamati area of Narayanganj city. She had been admitted to a local primary school just last year. According to police, the family was unwilling to press charges, which delayed the filing of the murder case by a year.

According to the case statement, on the afternoon of July 19 last year, between 150 to 200 unidentified armed miscreants allegedly affiliated with the Awami League opened fire and threw bombs at protestors. At that time, Riya was playing on the rooftop of a five-story building behind Gulshan Hall in Nayamati. She was hit in the head by a bullet and critically injured. She was first taken to Narayanganj Victoria Hospital and then transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she died on July 24 while undergoing treatment.

Repeated attempts to reach Riya’s father, Dipak Kumar Gop, on his mobile phone were unsuccessful as the number was found switched off.