Woman 'gang raped' in Sylhet; one held

Police have arrested a man in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 36-year-old woman in Sylhet's Bishwanath upazila after a CNG-run autorickshaw driver allegedly took her to a house instead of her destination, where she was allegedly gang-raped by a group of men.

The woman filed a case with Bishwanath Police Station yesterday (15 July), naming four men and accusing another unidentified person.

The arrested man, Goyach Mia alias Geda, 44, is the prime accused in the case.

Besides Goyach, the other accused are Ashik Mia, 30, of Alamnagar village; Saidur Rahman, 30, of Hayatergaon village; and Amir Ali, 28, of Bottola village.

According to the case statement, the woman hired a CNG-run autorickshaw from the Chandipur area of South Surma around 8pm on 14 July to travel to Chhatak. The autorickshaw, driven by Saidur Rahman, allegedly took her to the house of one Montaj Ali in Alamnagar village instead of her destination.

The driver and his associates then allegedly confined the woman and gang-raped her, the statement added.

Around 11:30pm that night, the woman informed police about the incident with the help of locals. Police later rescued her from the house.

Police arrested Goyach during a raid after the case was filed and produced him before a court, which sent him to jail.

The woman has been admitted to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for medical examination and treatment.

Gazi Mahbubur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Bishwanath Police Station, said police arrested the prime accused shortly after the case was filed.

Police are conducting raids to arrest the remaining absconding accused, he added.