Two women file case over alleged gang rape in Cumilla

The women alleged that they were also beaten and the incident was recorded on video

Two women have lodged a case against seven individuals over being an alleged gang rape at a sawmill in Cumilla.

The incident allegedly occurred on Thursday afternoon in Nangalkot Upazila’s Nurpur area. The case was filed around midnight on Monday, said Nangalkot police chief AK Fazlul Haque.

The women, a 20-year-old and a 35-year-old, used to live together at Cumilla’s Thomson Bridge area for work, though one was a native of Chandpur and the other of Lakshmipur.

The 20-year-old woman was in a relationship with a man named “Shaheed” from Nangalkot and she arrived in Nangalkot with the other woman to meet him on Thursday, officer Fazlul said, citing the plaintiffs.

The women alleged that initially they travelled around on an autorickshaw with Shaheed and several of his accomplices before being forcibly taken to Nurpur’s Khokon Saw Mill in Bangadda Union, where they were confined in a room from 12pm-4pm and raped.

The women also alleged that they were “beaten up” and “recorded on video" as well. Later they were sent back on a battery-run autorickshaw with the help of the saw mill’s owner, according to the victims.

The OC said that the women mentioned that they initially decided against reporting the incident to the police due to fear of being stigmatised by society and their families. But, due to the recorded video clips, they decided to ask for help from Nurpur locals on Saturday.

However, when they failed to retrieve the video footage, they reported the incident to police on Monday.

The women mentioned that they had seen the six men who were allegedly involved in the incident, also pointing out that the sawmill owner was also involved.

Chauddagram Assistant Superintendent of Police Nishat Tabassum said: “The two women lodged the complaint to us. We’re looking into the matter. They reported a Thursday afternoon incident on Monday, so we’ll take necessary measures after thorough investigation.”

The women are in police custody and will be sent to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for tests, the OC said.