Vogue cover model, Raudha Athif allegedly murdered for refusing to wear Islamic clothing - Family

Remember the story of the former Vogue cover model from Maldivian who was reportedly found dead in a hostel dormitory in Bangladesh two weeks ago in a suspected suicide, well the family of the girl has claimed she was murdered by extremists in the country for not wearing Islamic clothing.

Raudha Athif, 20, who appeared on the cover of Vogue India, Beauty in Diversity Mag in October was studying medicine at Islami Bank Medical College in Rajshahi, when she was reportedly found hanged in her dorm room on March 29.

She appeared (far left) on Vogue India’s Beauty in Diversity cover shoot (Picture: Vogue India)

An autopsy into her death ruled the tragedy as suicide, but her family have rejected it. However her 18-year-old brother Rayyan Athif, has spoken out insisting that she was murdered by extremists and her death was made to look like a suicide.

“Raudha was a happy girl with a bright future and a promising career ahead of her, he told The SUN. She was friendly, lighthearted and full of life. Her friends and family find it impossible to believe that she would take her own life.

“There have been a series of murders in Bangladesh which have been staged to look like suicides and Islamic extremists have been suspected to be behind these atrocities.”

Rayyan said he believes his sister who was a Muslim, was targeted because she was a public figure who defended victims bullied over religious controversies.

“Raudha was a strong woman, she would not back down and stood up for herself and for others. It could have made extremists boil up inside with anger, he said.

“Her style of clothing was branded as ‘immodest’ and ‘un-Islamic’ even though she adhered to the dress code in the college premises by wearing a veil covering her face.

“But she was criticised for wearing jeans and was repeatedly told she couldn’t wear it at the Muslim college — which has a lot of extremist connections and support. Other students have also been subjected to this type of bullying.”

Rayyan also claims Raudha told the family someone mixed sleeping tablets in her drink just weeks before her death.

Her dad, Mohamed Athif, a doctor, also expressed disbelief that it was a suicide stating that: 

‘Maldivian medical student and my daughter Raudha Athif did not commit suicide. She was murdered at her hostel room. I have the facts.’

Speaking on an autopsy report, conducted by three doctors at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Rayann claims: 

“In their first report, it said that there were strangulation marks, but they later dismissed it saying they were ‘birthmarks’. But she does not have a birthmark on her neck.

“We’ve seen her bruised body, her tightly-held fists and hand marks on her neck as if somebody strangled her. When we raised these issue with the police, they dismissed it.”

According to police reports, students who discovered Raudha’s body broke into her room which was locked from the inside. But her family have disputed the claim saying that there was no evidence of a forced entry.

“We went inside Raudha’s room and checked the locks on the door — there was no sign of a break-in — no cracks, dents on the door, Rayann said.

“Authorities said students banged on the door and the two locks of the door just slipped down but that’s not possible. We demonstrated it. We banged on the door and the locks didn’t move an inch. I would love an explanation for this.”