Police in London have launched a search for two Bangladeshi men suspected of raping a 13-year-old girl after allegedly luring her to a park. The charity Crimestoppers has announced a £10,000 reward for information that could help locate the suspects and bring them into custody.
One of the men is believed to remain in the United Kingdom, while the other may have fled to Bangladesh, according to police.
The suspects have been identified as Shawkat Ahmed, 31, and Zahidul Hasan Jaigirdar, 34. London police have released their photographs and appealed to members of the public to provide any information that could help establish their whereabouts.
According to a statement published on the Metropolitan Police website on Thursday, investigators believe Ahmed may still be in the UK and has links to the Tower Hamlets area of east London. Jaigirdar is also understood to have connections with Tower Hamlets, although officers suspect he may have left the country and travelled to Bangladesh.
The investigation began after police received a report that a 13-year-old girl had been raped in Bethnal Green, east London, on 1 August 2024.
According to a report by British newspaper The Sun, the girl said that two men approached her on Whitechapel Road on the night of the incident and persuaded her to accompany them to a nearby park known as Weavers Fields. She alleged that the men sexually assaulted her there. A passer-by subsequently came to her assistance and rescued her.
Following the report, police launched an investigation involving the examination of CCTV footage from the surrounding area and forensic testing. Officers also pursued other investigative leads in an effort to identify those responsible.
On 18 September 2024, police issued a public appeal for information. The appeal reportedly generated further information about the suspects, helping investigators make progress in identifying the two men.
Despite those developments, their current whereabouts remain unknown, prompting police to renew efforts to trace them. The release of their photographs is part of that appeal, with investigators hoping that people who recognise either man may be able to provide information that could lead to their arrest.
Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the identification and location of the two suspects. The charity is encouraging anyone with knowledge of their movements, possible whereabouts or connections to come forward.
Alexa Lucas, Crimestoppers’ London regional manager, described the incident as a horrific and traumatic attack on a young girl. She said identifying the two men was a positive development in the investigation, but locating them remained crucial.
Lucas also urged anyone with even a small piece of information about the suspects to share it with the charity. She assured potential informants that their identities would remain confidential.
The appeal is particularly relevant to people who may have encountered the suspects in Tower Hamlets or have information about their possible movements between the UK and Bangladesh.
Police are continuing their efforts to trace both men and have called on the public to assist the investigation. Any information, however minor it may appear, could help officers establish where the suspects are and take the case forward.
The allegations remain subject to the legal process, and neither man has been convicted in connection with the case.
