A housewife in Debiganj, Panchagarh, has alleged being beaten, having her hair cut, and being tortured with chilli powder sprinkled on her genitals after intruders entered her home. Housewife Konika Roy, alias Kulsum Begum, 39, alleges that relatives of her current husband carried out this brutal torture because she had converted religions and remarried. The victim has filed a case naming six accused, along with six to seven unidentified others. Following the case, police have arrested three people.
Kulsum Begum filed the case at Debiganj police station Wednesday night. Police carried out a raid the same night and made the arrests. Those arrested are Rakib Islam, 26, Sohel Rana, 20, and Sahel Khatun, 40, all of the Char Sonapota resettlement project area. The other accused named in the case are Samsher Ali, 28, Abul Haque, 50, and Sujon Islam, 19.
According to the case statement and the victim’s complaint, Konika Roy, a resident of the Char Sonapota resettlement project, left Hinduism and converted to Islam on June 12. She then took the name Kulsum Begum and married a man named Dargali. They had been living in a home in the same resettlement project.
The case statement says the accused, unable to accept her religious conversion and second marriage, entered Kulsum’s home on the night of the incident carrying sticks, iron rods and other crude weapons. They abused her verbally and seized and tore up affidavits related to her conversion and marriage. Her smartphone was also taken.
According to the complaint, Rakib Islam struck Kulsum in the face with an iron rod, breaking one of her teeth. Sohel Rana then cut off part of her hair with a blade. At one point, the complaint alleges, Rakib held down her hands and feet and sprinkled chilli powder on her genitals.
When her husband, Dargali, came forward after hearing Kulsum’s screams, he too was beaten. The case statement says the attackers vandalised and looted around 150,000 taka worth of household belongings. They are also accused of taking 85,000 taka in cash and around 66,000 taka worth of peanuts, amounting to 11 maunds. The complaint further alleges they forced Kulsum to sign three blank non-judicial stamp papers.
Neighbours came forward and rescued the couple after hearing Kulsum and her husband’s screams. Kulsum, seriously injured, was admitted to Debiganj Upazila Health Complex, where she remains under treatment.
Kulsum Begum said: “They held me down and beat me. I had been living alone for 20 years. On the day of my second marriage, I divorced my previous husband. That day, my current husband’s family members came and tortured me. His first wife came and grabbed me. They all cut my hair together. I want justice for this.”
Kulsum’s husband, Dargali, said: “Those who tortured my second wife are, by relation, my cousin, my first wife and my son. They did this out of spite over why I married her. I haven’t divorced my first wife yet, but I left everything there and came away.”
Debiganj police station officer-in-charge (OC) Musa Mia said that after the case was filed, a raid was carried out and three accused were arrested from various locations. The process of sending them to district jail through the court is under way after completing legal procedures. Operations to arrest the remaining accused continue.