3 arrested for raping teenage girl by playing music on sound box to drown out screams

Local correspondent

A madrasa student was raped at a restaurant in Sirajganj’s Kamarkhand Upazila by playing loud music on a sound box to drown out the screams. Police have arrested three people in this sensational incident, while a search is on for the remaining accused.

The victim, a resident of Karnasuti village in the upazila, is a 7th grade student of a local Dakhil Madrasa. The 14-year-old girl’s mother has filed a case as the plaintiff.

Police say the restaurant is known as a center for anti-social activities.

According to the case report, the incident took place on October 19 (Sunday) at 10:30 am. After going to the madrasa, the girl went to a shop near her house to buy a pen. There, the main accused Naeem Hossain (21) and his 5-6 accomplices—Imran, Akash, Atiq, Nasim Uddin and Nazmul Haque Nayan—forcibly picked her up in a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw and took her to “Dera Fast Food and Chinese Restaurant” next to Jamtail Central Park in Kamarkhand. There, Naeem raped the girl.

During the rape, the accused played loud music on a sound box inside the restaurant to drown out the girl’s screams. At the same time, the rest of the accomplices guarded the gate outside.

At one point, when the girl fell ill, the rapist and his friends took her to the hospital and left her there, where they fled.

The teenager is currently undergoing treatment at Shahid M Mansur Ali Medical College Hospital, said hospital director Dr. ATM Nuruzzaman.

The girl’s mother said, “My daughter goes to madrasa in the morning. We kept looking for her when she didn’t return home even though it was her day off. Suddenly, someone called and told us that my daughter was sick and admitted to a private clinic in Sirajganj. When we went there, we saw that her condition was very bad and admitted her to Munsur Ali Medical College Hospital. Her mental condition is very delicate.”

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, journalists went to the Dera Fast Food and Chinese Restaurant, the scene of the incident, and saw some young men chatting. At that time, they also attacked the journalists. Upon receiving the information, the police went to the spot and temporarily closed the restaurant and immediately arrested the two.

Sub-Inspector (SI) of Kamarkhand Police Station Babul Akhter said, “On October 20, the girl’s mother filed a case against six people as the plaintiff. We arrested three people, including Naim Hossain, as soon as we started the investigation. A drive is underway to arrest the remaining accused.”

He also said that the restaurant is known to locals as a place of anti-social activities, and that robberies sometimes occur here.

Locals have alleged that young people and teenagers engage in anti-social activities at the restaurant, located adjacent to Kamarkhand Central Park. Many have also alleged that incidents of robbery occasionally occur in the area.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kamarkhand Police Station Md. Abdul Latif said that the police started a raid immediately after the incident in question. Three people have been arrested and sent to jail through the court. An operation is underway to arrest the main accused and the rest. The restaurant has been closed as a crime scene.

Sirajganj District Police Superintendent Md. Abdul Latif said, “We will investigate the incident and take strict action. The victim’s family is being provided with assistance and arrangements have been made for psychological treatment.”