Two youths were sentenced to life imprisonment here yesterday for raping a housewife at Chilarang Dangipara village in Thakurgaon about two years ago.

Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge AFM Aminul Islam handed down the verdict in a crowded courtroom.

The convicts, identified as Rafiqul Islam, 25, son of Jamir Uddin, and Yousuf Ali, 24, son of Bashir Uddin, were also fined Tk one lakh each.

According to the prosecution, the convicts raped Radha Rani, 24, wife of Molin Chandra Saha, while she was returning home in the afternoon after collecting dry leaves on September 11, 2003.

When the victim identified one of the rapists as Rafiqul Islam, they gouged out her eyes. The husband of the victim rescued his wife in a critical condition and took her to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital. Special Public Prosecutor Ketab Uddin conducted the case on behalf of the state while Advocate Ashraf Ali defended the accused.