Couple, two women detained in Rajshahi over alleged rape and blackmail of woman

The Rapid Action Battalion or RAB has arrested a couple and two women over the alleged rape and blackmail of a woman in Rajshahi.

The suspects are accused of taking the woman to their residence, promising her to help find a lost mobile phone, before raping her and filming the incident.

They allegedly demanded money from her, threatening to release the video on social media.

The RAB conducted a raid on a house in the Padma Residential Area under Chandrima Police Station in the city on Thursday night to nab the perpetrators.

The suspects are Alamgir Royel, 40, his wife Helena Khatun, 30, Helena's sisters Dilara Begum, 35, and their accomplice Momtaz Begum, 42.

Lieutenant Colonel Munim Ferdous, the commanding officer of RAB-5, said on Friday that the alleged victim knew Alamgir beforehand.

She went to the Hargram Court Station area of Kashiadanga and lost her mobile phone on Wednesday.

In the course of the search, she met Alamgir, who lured her to a house in the Padma Residential Area of the city, promising to return her lost mobile phone.

“However, once there, Alamgir raped her," Munim said.

Further investigation revealed that Alamgir's wife Helena, along with their associates Dilara and Momtaz, were present at the location beforehand and discreetly recorded a video of the assault, the RAB official said.

Subsequently, they demanded Tk 500,000 from the woman, threatening to release the video on social media, Munim said.

Upon receiving information from the woman's family members, a team from RAB swiftly conducted a rescue operation. Alamgir, along with his wife and two others, was apprehended from their residence.

Legal proceedings against the four individuals were under way at Chandrima Police Station.

Alamgir has a previous case against him under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.