Rapist freed, victim punished

Her head shaven, she was forced to move around in the village with a wreath of shoes hanging from her neck.

The incident angered the people in Harish Chandra Path village in Khuiamara union under Jaldhaka upazila. They are now demanding punishment of the rapist and the person who meted the punishment.

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Day labourer Gani Mamud of the village went to Comilla in search of work leaving his wife and two children.

On the night of Monday last, one Momtajul, son of late Kiasimuddin of the same village, forcibly entered her house and raped her.

Her screams drew neighbours, who caught Momtajul and detained him in a room of a local elite.

Next day, an arbitration meeting was arranged. The victim sought justice.

Local Union Parishad member Mahbubar Rahman freed the rapist and defiled the victim at the meeting.

She lashed the victim at the meeting and ordered that she should be moved around in the village with a shaven head and a wreath of shoes hanging from the neck.

This angered the villagers. Next day (Wednesday), the victim's brother-in-law filed a case with Jaldhaka thana against alleged rapist Momtajul and UP member Mahbubar Rahman.

The UP member then allegedly kidnapped the victim woman and went into hiding taking her along.

As the villagers pressed the UP member's family to disclose her whereabouts, the family members also went into hiding, local people said.

Police could neither rescue the victim not arrest the UP member till yesterday.

Police said the alleged rapist is absconding.