FROM PAGE 12

grandmother went to the madrasa to see the girl. At that time, Abul Khayer told the grandmother that the girl was attacked by evil power and she needed exorcism.

Then Abul Khayer took the girl to his bedroom on the madrasa premises and tried to rape her under the pretext of exorcism.

When the girl started screaming, Abul Khayer released her. Then the victim shared the incident with her grandmother.

Later, the victim’s family members informed local union parishad’s acting chairman Jamal Uddin about the matter. But Jamal kept wasting time in the name of social arbitration to settle the issue.

Finally, the victim’s father filed a case with Charjabbar Police Station on Thursday morning against Abul Khayer, said the police station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Lutfur Rahman.

Later in the day, around 100 people attacked the victim’s house, assaulted the family members and carried out vandalism and looting.

Talking to journalists, the victim said the madrasa superintendent touched private parts of her body in the name of exorcism and tried to rape her.

“As my father has filed case, they attacked on our house,” she told.

Talking to The Daily Star, the victim’s father said, “My daughter is not the sole victim. Rather, the man (Abul Khayer) did the same things with some other girls in the past. But none disclosed it due to social stigma.”

“But I have protested and filed a case. That is why they attacked our house and are pressurising me to withdraw the case,” added the father.

Asked, union chairman Jamal Uddin admitted that the victim’s family members went to him, and he tried to arrange a social arbitration.

He claimed the attempt failed as no party came to him on the day scheduled for the arbitration.

Contacted, OC Lutfur Rahman said the girl’s mother filed another case on Saturday in connection with the attack. Later police arrested a person, Jahangir, 35, for his alleged involvement with the attack on their home.

“However, attempted rape accused Abul Khayer went into hiding after the filing of the case. Police are trying to arrest him,” added the police officer.