chtnews.com
News No. 162/2010, November 07, 2010
A PHYSICALLY challenged Jumma girl was gang raped by four settler youths in Manikchari under Khagrachari district, the victim, Muichinung Marma, 13, and her family members alleged.
The police arrested two settler youths in this connection and sent them to jail. The incident occurred on 3 November in the village of Godatuli under Borbil Union of Manichari Upazila.
The Suprabhat Bangladesh, a Bengali daily published from Chittagong, quoting the police, said, four delinquent youths picked her up from her family home around 10pm, took her to Ramiz Tila (hill top), raped her by turn and then left her unconscious.
When her relatives were looking for her in the morning, her younger sister told them that Kashem, a settler youth, entered their room the previous night.
Then her parents brought the matter to the notice of local Union Council member, Abdul Mannan, who immediately ran to Kashem’s house to inquire about it.
After repeated interrogation, Kashem admitted to his involvement in the incident and told the names of the other rapists and the location where they had left the girl.
The locals then rescued the victim and detained Abul Kashem (26) and Delwar Hossain (22) until the police arrived.
The victim, Muichinung Marma, filed a rape case with Manikchari police station under Women and Children Repression Act, accusing four settler youths.
The other two accused – Mohammad Belal (25) son of Abul Boshor and Md. Raju – have not been arrested yet, her father Mr Alu Aung Marma said.
The Hill Women’s Federation president Ms Sonali Chakma condemned the rape of Muichinung Marma and expressed her deep concern over the rise of incidence of sexual violence against Jumma women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts over the last few months.
She urged the government to take effective steps, including severe punishment for the culprits, to reverse the trend.
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