3 teenagers arrested for blackmailing, raping girl in Tangail

Police have arrested three teenagers for blackmailing a ninth-grader for several months and raping her in Gopalpur upazila of Tangail.

They were sent to jail on Thursday afternoon after being produced before a court.

The trio are Sifat, 14, of Madarjani village under Alamnagar Union, and Robiul Islam Roni, 14, and Imran, 13, of Nabogram village.

According to the case, the accused used to harass the girl, living in the same area, every day on her way to school. As she refused their proposals, Sifat raped her beside his house with the help of Rony and Imran on May 26. Imran took pictures of the incident.

Later, Imran blackmailed the girl using the pictures and raped her again on August 7 with the help of Sifat.

When the incident came to light, local leaders Majam Kha and Lutfar Rahman discussed the matter at the house of Sheikh Farid, a UP member of Almannagar union. The arbitrators allegedly demanded a large sum of money with a promise to cover up the incident.

As Imran refused to pay, the arbitrators decided to get him married to the girl. The two others were exempted and released after paying the money.

Since the girl is Hindu, her family refused to get her married to a Muslim boy, and they fled the area.

Sohail Quddus, sub-inspector of Gopalpur police station, said they arrested the trio soon after the girl’s father had filed a case on Wednesday night.

The law enforcers, however, have not taken any action against the arbitrators. 

The rape survivor was sent to Tangail General Hospital for medical examination.