Child ‘raped’ in Nawabganj, locals beat and hand over suspect to police

Locals have beaten and then handed a man over to police in Dhaka’s Nawabganj Upazila over the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl.

The incident occurred at Daulatpur village in Koilal Union on Tuesday, said Nawabganj Police Station chief Mominul Islam.

The detained Nazim Khan, 45, is an autorickshaw driver and a local resident.

The victim has been admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

Locals said Nazim found the child alone at home and took her to the bathroom where he raped her and fled.

The child’s family came to know of the incident after they found her crying. They initially took her to the Nawabganj Upazila Health Complex. The doctors there sent her to Dhaka for advanced treatment due to her condition. Later, locals heard about the incident. They nabbed Nazim around 8pm, beat him and handed him to the police.

The child’s aunt said her niece was first admitted to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital in Dhaka in critical condition. Then she was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The child was not in good medical condition and had been vomiting repeatedly, she said.

OC Mominul said. “Locals caught the autorickshaw driver and handed him over to the police after beating him. He has been kept in the lock-up. If the victim’s family files a written complaint, police will take the case and proceed with the next legal steps.”