Four held during ‘attempt to rape’ woman on a launch

Four youngmen have been nabbed and handed over to police for trying to rape a woman on a Madaripur-bound launch.

Witnesses said they first beat up a man and then his female friend after mugging them, before trying to rape her.
 
Chandpur river police’s Additional SP BM Nuruzzaman said a gun was seized from the four after the incident on MV Parabat-14 when it was crossing the district through Meghna River on Sunday night.
 
Those detained were identified as ‘Sabbir’, ‘Emran’, ‘Rajab’ and ‘Sujon’. All of them are from Keraniganj’s Postogola.
 
Nuruzzaman said one ‘Sohel’ and his female friend were on their way to their village home in Madaripur. Both work at a readymade garment factory in Keraniganj.
 
“Around 9:30pm Sunday, the four youths attacked them in their cabin. They beat the couple and looted their phones and money. The assailants then threw Sohel out of the cabin and attempted to rape the woman.”
 
Hearing Sohel’s cry for help, launch employees and other passengers rushed in and nabbed the four assailants. They were handed over to river police at Chandpur Launch Terminal at around 1am Monday.
 
The four were then turned over to Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station, said ASP Nuruzzaman.
 
He added that a locally-made revolver, two bullets and drugs were seized from those detained.
 
Chandpur Sadar police OC Md Mamunur Rashid said river police Sub-Inspector Mosharef Hossain had filed a case against the four.
 
Sohel and his friend were also being questioned for more information, he added.