Minor girl raped, neighbour youth held

A seven-year-old girl was raped by a neighbouring youth at Hamlapara village in Melandah upazila on Wednesday.

The victim, also a Class I student at a local government primary school, is now undergoing treatment at Jamalpur General Hospital.

Police arrested Nazmul Islam, 25, son of Ashraf Ali of the village.

Police said Nazmul lured the girl, saying to have an evening walk and took her to a nearby bamboo cluster around 5:45pm.  

He raped the girl there when her parents, both day labourers at a local construction site, were not present at home. 

Hearing screams, locals rushed to the spot and rescued the girl. They caught Nazmul and handed him over to the police. 

Locals rushed the victim to Melandah Upazila Health Complex, from where she was referred to Jamalpur General Hospital as her condition deteriorated. 

The girl's father lodged a case with Melandah Police Station against Nazmul the same night, said Neel Kamol Chakraborti, sub-inspector, also the investigation officer of the case.

Police produced the arrestee before a court yesterday that sent him to jail.