Youth held over raping mentally challenged woman in Comilla

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a youth in Debidwar, Comilla for raping a mentally challenged woman last year, which led the woman to recently give birth to a boy.

Maj Md Sakib Hossain, the company commander of RAB 11 CPC 2, confirmed the arrest of Md Sohag, 25, from Debidwar’s Barer area on Saturday night -- based on a complaint filed by the woman’s family.

Sohag lives with his family in the same area as the woman in Debidwar.

RAB sources said Sohag had raped the intellectually disabled woman several times between September 15 to December 31 last year, which resulted in her conceiving a baby.

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Facing threats from Sohag and his associates and to avoid social stigma, the woman’s financially struggling family did not say anything to locals or pursue any legal action at the time.

After the victim woman gave birth to a boy earlier this month, on July 11, Sohag or his family declined to resolve the matter -- leading the woman’s to lodge a complaint with RAB.

Maj Sakib said that RAB carried out a raid after receiving the complaint and arrested Sohag on Saturday evening.

He added that legal action was taken against Sohag, who has also confessed to committing the crime during preliminary interrogation following his arrest.