Pabna OC suspended

Officer-in-Charge of Pabna Sadar Police Station Obaidul Huq, who allegedly arranged the marriage between a gang-rape victim and one of the alleged rapists in an attempt to cover up the crime, has been suspended for his controversial role.

The suspension order was issued by the Police Headquarters yesterday, Rafikul Islam, superintendent of police in Pabna, told our local correspondent today.

Earlier on September 12, the district administration has withdrawn OC Obaidul and suspended Sub-Inspector Ekramul Haque over allegations of arranging a marriage between a rape victim and one of the rapists. 

A woman, 33, also the mother of three children was gang-raped and allegedly forced to marry on of the alleged rapists in Pabna’s Dapunia last month. The victim was also compelled at the police station to sign divorce papers that mentioned an older date to make it seem like the woman was a divorcee.

The woman’s brother earlier told reporters that the marriage on September 5 was arranged by the officers to save the people accused in the gang-rape case.

After the allegations were reported in the media, police in the district formed a three-member committee to probe the matter.

The woman filed a case on the same day accusing five persons of confining her to a room and gang-raping her multiple times on August 29 and August 31. The accused Russel, Shariful Islam Ghontu, Hossain Ali, Osman and Sanju are from different villages in Pabna Sadar.

The district administration’s probe committee submitted report to the cabinet on September 15 saying everything published in the media comes true during the investigation.