Six arrested after rape attempt by others of the gang was foiled
A college student was raped in a style that even surpassed the villainous actions in Bangla melodramatic movies in the capital yesterday.
The rapist claimed himself to be journalist while attempt to violate the girl by his other cohorts was foiled after locals came to the victim’s rescue.
The incident took place at the house of the 19-year old victim’s aunt Amina (not her real name) in Ansar Camp area in Mirpur.
Police managed to arrest six persons including a woman from the scene while about three to four other members of the gang also identifying themselves as journalists managed to flee the scene, said Officer-in-Charge of Mirpur Model police station Md Salahuddin Khan.
The perpetrators reportedly entered the house of Amina where the victim was tutoring Amina’s child.
The Dhaka Tribune has obtained a video clip of the primary interrogation during which the culprits including the alleged rapist Mahbub Ahad claimed themselves to be journalists while the victim veiled in a scarf described the incident after receiving medical treatment from the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
“He [pointing at Mahbub] first raped me while some more men came later and started to record video footage and tortured me in their attempt to rape me as well,” the victim said.
“They also demanded extortion from my aunt saying they would otherwise air the photos and video on the internet,” she added.
The victim later filed a rape and extortion case with the police station, the OC said, adding that the arrestees were sent to jail after being produced before a court.
The six arrestees include the alleged rapist Mahbub Ahad, 50, along with his cohorts Md Alamgir Hossain Shuvo, 30, Abu Bakkar Siddique, 33, Md Anis Mahmud Limon, 31, Mocha Mia, 50, and Mahmuda Akter, 22.
Police said they all claimed to be from different online and newspapers including Aparadh Jogot, Dainik Anna Diganta, Shaptahik Annayer Chitra and Dainik Ain-Adesh-Adalat.
According to police and also the statements from the video footage of the primary interrogation Shuvo and Mahmuda posing as a married couple sought shelter for the night to gain entry to Amina’s house.
But Amina refused to let the couple stay the night as she did not know them.
However, as they were talking inside the house, Mahmuda darted to the door and opened it after there was a knock. The other members of the gang identifying themselves as journalists burst into the room and said they had come to investigate “illegal business” being carried out by Amina and the victim.
Shuvo started taking photos and making video of Amina and her niece – the victim – as they persistently denied the allegation.
“They threatened me to air and publish my photos and video clips on the internet and in newspapers as a prostitute,” the victim said.
“Then a man [Mahbub] forcibly took me into a room and raped me… after him, some more men came to the room with the woman. They began to torture me as I shouted for help.”
The OC of Mirpur Model police station said other members of the gang also demanded Tk1 lakh from Amina by threatening to publish their photos for their involvement in sex business.
However, the police managed to arrest six members of the gang after being informed by locals who gathered at the scene hearing the victim’s cry for help.
Police said Abu Bakkar and Shuvo identified themselves as journalists of “Asian Journalists Charitable Society” where Abu Bakkar was the president and Alamgir was the secretary.
This organisation also reportedly had a government registration number: S-7797.
The arrestees produced document to police as evidence that they were journalists. Interestingly the document had a written permission dated June 11, 2014 which was signed by the deputy commissioner of police under Mirpur division.
It has also the signature of Mirpur Model police station OC Salahuddin and Sub-Inspector Rakibul Islam.
However, the OC denied providing any such written document to any journalist saying: “I have never heard any journalist asking for legal support and necessary cooperation in a written document in such a way from
police.”
“Actually, they are extorting money and involved in criminal activities under the guise of journalists,” he
added.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
