Housewife gang-raped in Patuakhali, 4 arrested

A housewife was gang-raped allegedly by a group of local youths at Hetalia village in Sadar upazila of the district on Tuesday night.

Quoting the victim, police said the 26-year-old housewife of Chhotobighai village in the upazila, along with her two younger brothers was returning home from the district town around 8:00pm.

When they reached near Hetalia Ashrayan Project area, a gang of 6/7 criminals waylaid them.

They held knives to the throats of the brothers, took their sister to a nearby bush and raped her.

Hearing screams of the victims, locals rushed to the spot. Sensing the presence of the villagers, the gang fled the scene.

Following a complaint filed by the woman with Sadar Police Station the same night, police raided different areas in the upazila and detained four youths, said officer-in-charge SM Tariqul Islam.

The arrestees are Emon, 20, Jewel, 22, and Hasan, 21, of the village, and Sajib Sikdar, 22, of Kalatala area of the district town.

Police produced them before a court yesterday afternoon that sent them to the jail.

Away in Thakurgaon, villagers rescued a schoolgirl, foiling an alleged rape bid by a local youth at Basanti village in Pirganj upazila on Monday.

Quoting locals, police said Jewel, 24, of Vepra village, took the girl, a Class III student at a local primary school, to a secluded place while she was returning home from her tutor's house on Monday evening and tried to rape her.

Hearing screams, locals went to the spot and rescued the girl, said Shawkat Hossain, officer-in-charge of Pirganj Police Station.