1 arrested in connection with gang-rape of teenage girl in Cox's Bazar cottage

A person has been arrested in connection with the gang-rape of a teenage girl in Cox's Bazar.

The incident took place on Monday night at Rajan Cottage, situated opposite the cultural center in the Kalatali area, Cox's Bazar Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Rafiqul Islam told The Business Standard on Tuesday.

Police have been able to identify those involved in the incident, said Additional Superintendent of Police (administration) Rafiqul Islam of Cox's Bazar.

While one suspect is currently in custody, efforts are underway to arrest the remaining perpetrators, he added.

According to hospital and police accounts, two girls from Dhaka were brought to Cox's Bazar city to participate in a dance programme a few days ago. The individuals responsible for bringing them there subsequently handed them over to a criminal gang before leaving the area. The gang then took the girls to Rajan Cottage, where they were subjected to a series of sexual assaults.

The culprits forced the girls onto a Dhaka-bound bus the following morning. However, one of the victims disembarked in Ramu Bypass area due to severe bleeding. She was promptly taken to Ramu Hospital, where a doctor alerted the police after learning about the incident. The police subsequently took her to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital.

Dr Noble Kumar Barua, the Residential Medical Officer at Ramu Upazila Health Complex, confirmed that the girl was handed over to the police following her medical treatment.

Meanwhile, Rajan Cottage, the location of the crime, has remained deserted since the incident occurred. While some individuals claim that the company's employees are in police custody, law enforcement has not provided any official statements on the matter.

Prior to this latest incident, similar gang rape cases occurred in the cottage zone on 22 and 28 December 2021.