Gang Rape of Pre-teen Girl: Family being ‘threatened by accused’
Father of a pre-teen rape victim in Sadar upazila alleged that he was being pressurised by the rapists and their family members to withdraw the case and reach a settlement out of the court.
The day labourer man’s 12-year-old daughter was raped by a neighbour and two others on January 15 when she was on way to a relative’s house.
Villagers rescued her from a bamboo grove, only several hundred feet away from her house, and took her to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital where she is still undergoing treatment.
On January 16, her father filed a case with Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station, accusing his neighbour Alamgir Hossain, 23, son of Abdul Karim; and his two accomplices -- Alamgir Islam and Ohidul Islam.
Police arrested the prime accused, Alamgir Hossain, the same day. The other two are still on the run.
Dr Manjur Morshed Dolan, resident medical officer of the hospital, confirmed that the girl was raped by multiple assailants.
She is now out of danger, he also said.
Speaking with this correspondent, the girl’s father claimed that the rapists, through their relatives and acquaintances, have been asking him to withdraw the case and if he does not comply to their demands and agree to settle the matter, they would drive him out of the village.
Asked about whether the police were doing anything about the threats being issued to a victim’s family, the police station’s Officer-in-Charge Mahfuz Alam said Abida Sultana, superintendent of police in Lalmonirhat, visited the girl at the hospital on last Friday and assured her family that justice would be served.
Police would take necessary action once a formal complaint is received from the victim’s family, he said adding that they were conducting raids to arrest the other two accused.
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