3 held over Cumilla abduction, rape case

Three youths have been arrested in connection with the abduction and rape of an woman at Homna upazila of Cumilla district.

The arrested are Md. Siam, 21, Sharif Mia, 20, and Md. Rifat, 22, from Oparchar village of the upazila.

The prime accused, Ashikur Rahman, 24, remains at large.

According to the case statement, the victim and her husband were traveling by an auto-rickshaw toward Titas upazila. Near the Agriculture College area, a local youth named Ashikur Rahman along with several accomplices on motorcycles, intercepted their vehicle.

The attackers forcibly took the couple to a secluded brick road. While the associates held the husband and the driver at a distance, Ashikur Rahman allegedly violated the woman.

Homna Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Tomas Barua confirmed the arrests, stating that they were arrested between Thursday night and Friday afternoon with the help of locals.

"We have sent the victim to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for a medical examination. Multiple police teams are conducting raids to apprehend the prime suspect and other accomplices," said the OC.

KH/TZ