Police Couple Arrested For Abuse Of Domestic Worker

A police couple has been arrested, suspended from their professional duties, and remanded in judicial custody following the alleged physical abuse of a young female domestic worker at their residence in Khulna city. The suspects have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Popi Rani Saha, currently attached to Sonadanga Police Station, and her husband, Sanjay Kumar Sarkar. A formal criminal lawsuit was initiated against them on Thursday, 18 June 2026, by the mother of the victim, leading to their immediate detention and subsequent administrative suspension from the police force.

Background of the Suspects and Victim

According to verified records provided by law enforcement sources, ASI Popi Rani Saha and her husband, Sanjay Kumar Sarkar, resided as tenants on the first floor of a residential building, designated as House 419 on Road 6, located within the Phase 2 sector of the Sonadanga Residential Area in Khulna.

To assist with household chores and the care of their child, the couple had brought a young woman, identified as Milon Dash, from the ancestral village area of ASI Popi Rani Saha. At the time of the incident, the domestic worker had been living with and working for the police couple continuously for approximately five years.

Altercation, Physical Assault, and Rescue Operation

The incident transpired during the afternoon hours of Wednesday, 17 June 2026. While preparing a meal in the kitchen of the apartment, Milon Dash accidentally caused a cooking pan to catch fire, resulting in the burning of the food item. In response to the ruined meal, ASI Popi Rani Saha reportedly lost her temper and subjected the domestic worker to severe physical abuse.

According to the case file, the officer used the hot, burnt cooking pan to inflict burn injuries directly onto Milon Dash’s body. The physical assault was accompanied by slaps, punches, and forcing the domestic worker to repeatedly undergo humiliating squats while holding her ears.

The physical abuse was witnessed through an open window of the apartment by a group of local journalists and representatives from a women’s rights organization who happened to be nearby. Recognizing the severity of the assault, the witnesses intervened and immediately dialled the National Emergency Service number, 999, to alert the local police administration.

A dispatch team from the Sonadanga Police Station arrived rapidly at the scene, secured the premises, and rescued Milon Dash from the apartment. Due to the nature of her injuries, she was immediately transported to the Khulna Medical College Hospital, where she was admitted to the specialized One-Stop Crisis Centre (OCC) for comprehensive medical evaluation and clinical treatment.

Legal Proceedings and Administrative Actions

Following the rescue, the victim’s mother, identified as Minoti Rani, traveled to the local police jurisdiction to initiate formal legal procedures. On the morning of Thursday, 18 June 2026, she officially filed a criminal case detailing the torture and physical abuse against the accused couple at the Sonadanga Police Station. Following the documentation of the First Information Report (FIR), local police forces immediately moved to apprehend ASI Popi Rani Saha and Sanjay Kumar Sarkar.

The Assistant Commissioner of the Khulna Metropolitan Police (Sonadanga Zone), Md Humayun Kabir, formally verified the timeline of the investigation and the arrests. The senior police official confirmed that the victim had been successfully extracted from the location on Wednesday and placed under the care of the OCC.

He further noted that following the formal compilation of the criminal case on Thursday, the accused police couple was produced before a local judicial magistrate’s court during the afternoon session. Upon hearing the preliminary details, the presiding judge rejected bail and ordered both individuals to be sent directly to the district prison facility. Concurrently, top tier police administration officials confirmed that both suspects have been placed under temporary suspension from their state duties pending a formal departmental inquiry.

Legal Framework Safeguarding Vulnerable Domestic Workers

To provide the essential legal and structural context, cases involving the torture of domestic workers in Bangladesh are prosecuted with high severity under the standard penal code alongside specialized statutes. If the victim is a minor or a woman, charges are frequently framed under the Prevention of Women and Children Repression Act, 2000, which carries stringent penalties including rigorous imprisonment for inflicting bodily harm or psychological trauma.

Furthermore, when members of law enforcement agencies—who are legally tasked with upholding the constitutional rights of citizens—are themselves implicated in such criminal actions, they face simultaneous dual proceedings. This includes standard prosecution within the secular judicial system alongside independent internal affairs investigations managed by the Police Headquarters.

Under the Police Regulations of Bengal (PRB), any officer formally remanded into judicial custody on criminal charges undergoes automatic suspension, which can subsequently escalate to permanent dismissal from the public service if a formal conviction is delivered by a court of law.