Prime accused held over ‘gang-rape’ of dance artistes in Cox's Bazar

The members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested the prime accused in a case over the gang rape of two teenage girls at Kalatoli Cottage zone in Cox's Bazar district town, that took place on Monday night.

The arrestee is Monirul Islam alias Harbodol (35), son of Nur Ahmed of Ghonapara area of Cox's Bazar municipality, reports 

Earlier on Tuesday, police also arrested Riyad (30) in connection with his alleged involvement in the crime.

Tipped off, a team of RAB-15 conducted a drive in the Rubber Garden area of Ramu Upazila and arrested Monirul on Thursday night, Senior Assistant Director of RAB-15, Abu Salam Chowdhury said in a press briefing on Friday.

He said the two teenage girls, who went to Cox's Bazar from Dhaka to perform dance at a programme, were allegedly gang-raped by a group of miscreants at Kalatoli Cottage zone in the Cox's Bazar district town.

The victims went there to perform at a dance programme at the invitation of some young people a few days ago.

Later, those who invited them to Cox's Bazar handed them over to some people. They raped them at Rajon Cottage, in front of Kalatoli Cultural Centre on Monday night.

On Tuesday, the criminals forced them to board a Dhaka-bound bus but one of the girls got down at Ramu Bypass as she fell sick.

Local people took her to a hospital and from there police sent her to Sadar Hospital.

Later, a case was filed with Sadar Model police in this connection.

During the primary interrogation, the arrestee confessed to his involvement in the rape, added the RAB official.

The accused was handed over to Sadar Model thana