Man arrested over 'rape' of indigenous girl

The Rapid Action Battalion yesterday claimed to have detained a man who allegedly raped an indigenous young woman at Uttar Badda in the capital last month.

A team of Rab-1 apprehended the alleged sex offender, Rafsan Hossain alias Rubel, 30, from near Airport Railway Station around 7:30pm on Friday following a tip-off, said Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud, commanding officer of Rab-1, at a press briefing yesterday.

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The detainee, during primary interrogation, has admitted to be involved in the crime, said the Rab official.  

A cellular phone belonging to the victim's fiancé and over Tk 9,000 in cash were seized from the possession of Rubel, who is a listed criminal accused in several cases filed for rape, kidnapping and extortion in Badda and Rampura areas, he added.

On October 25, the 18-year-old indigenous girl was raped after she went to visit her fiancé at his lodging in Uttar Badda area.

According to Rab, local thug Rubel and his gang were called in by a resident of the lodging to "settle the matter" after its manager raised objection to a female visitor's entering the all-male housing.

Rubel and his associates, with the help of the lodging resident, threatened to kill the couple and snatched a cell phone and cash from the young woman's fiancé.

At one stage Rubel took the girl to a nearby garage by force. Later on he shifted her to an abandoned house and violated her, Rab added.

The victim, a beauty parlour employee in the city, was given treatment at One-stop Crisis Centre of Dhaka Medical College Hospital following the incident, said hospital sources.

A case was filed in this connection with Badda Police Station by the victim's family on October 28.