A woman was allegedly gang-raped after a group of men entered her home in Gafargaon, Mymensingh, tied her school-going son to a tree at gunpoint and held the family hostage, police and the victim’s family said.
The attackers also allegedly recorded the sexual assault and stole cash, gold jewelry and other valuables from the house before threatening to circulate the video on social media if the family disclosed the incident.
The incident occurred at around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at a village in Gafargaon upazila. The woman’s husband works in Saudi Arabia.
Police have detained a 25-year-old man identified as Rajib, son of Mofazzal Mia of the same village. Authorities said efforts were underway to arrest the other suspects.
According to the victim’s family, the 32-year-old woman lives at the village home with her school-going son while her husband is in Saudi Arabia.
The family said electricity went out Thursday night before a group of five or six young men arrived at the house and called the boy, asking for an axe.
When the door was opened, the men allegedly entered the house after threatening the family with weapons. They then tied the boy to a tree in the courtyard and held him at gunpoint, according to the family’s account.
The woman was also threatened with weapons before several members of the group allegedly sexually assaulted her. One of the assailants recorded the incident on a mobile phone, the family alleged.
The attackers also allegedly took cash, gold jewelry and other valuables from the house.
Before leaving, they threatened to release the recorded video on social media if the incident was reported, according to the family.
After the attackers left, neighbors heard the victims’ cries and came to their aid. Police were subsequently alerted through Bangladesh’s national emergency service, 999.
Gafargaon police went to the scene and took the woman and her son to the police station.
Police then launched an operation to locate the suspects. At around 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, officers detained Rajib, while the other suspects fled, according to police.
Police said Rajib attempted to throw into water the mobile phone allegedly used to record the assault. Officers recovered the device.
Gafargaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Moniruzzaman Sheikh said police responded after receiving information through 999 and detained one suspect.
The woman and her son were rescued and taken to the police station, he said, adding that operations were continuing to arrest others allegedly involved based on the family’s complaint.
Monotosh Biswas, additional superintendent of police for the Gafargaon Circle, said arrangements were being made for the woman’s necessary medical examination and that appropriate legal proceedings were underway based on the complaint.
Police have so far reported the detention of one person. The allegations of gang rape, recording the assault, threats and robbery remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings.
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