UP member among 3 held over gang-rape in Chandpur

Police today arrested three persons, including a union parishad member, in a case filed over gang-rape of a girl in Hajiganj upazila of Chandpur.

The case was filed yesterday following media reports that said the victim has become pregnant after she was gang-raped eight months ago, reports a correspondent.

Among the arrestees, Ismail alias Imran, 21, and Arefin alias Aminul, 20, were arrested from Dhaka while Wahedul Islam, UP member of South Gandharbapur, from Chandpur, said Md Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Hajiganj Police Station.

Last night, police brought the victim and Wahedul to the police station for interrogation after the incident surfaced through media reports. Later, the girl filed the case against six people, the OC added.

Three other accused in the case -- Rabbi, 19, Meraj, 22, and another mediator of the incident Md Mostafa Kamal -- are absconding, the official said.

According to the case statement, Rabbi, Meraj, Ismail, and Arefin raped her eight months ago. When the girl became pregnant, UP Chairman Md Gias Uddin ordered Wahedul and Mostafa Kamal to mediate the incident.

The mediators arranged that the rapists would give Tk 6 lakh to the family of the victim and marry the girl off with one of the rapists of her choice. However, the money was not handed over to her family.

However, no legal action has so far been taken against UP Chairman Md Gias Uddin.