Woman rescued from moving train after rape allegation, one arrested

A 44-year-old woman was rescued from a moving train after she called the National Emergency Service 999 yesterday (1 September), alleging that three men had raped her on board the “Kurigram Express” train.

Acting on the emergency call, 999 operators tracked the train’s location and alerted the Shantahar Railway Police Station in Pabna, the train’s next stoppage, to take immediate action.

The victim told 999 that she had mistakenly boarded the Kurigram Express at Dhaka Airport while intending to travel to Sirajganj. She did not have a ticket.

According to Anwar Sattar, Inspector (Media and Public Relations Officer) of the National Emergency Service 999, two members of the railway security force questioned her after boarding the train and she told them that she was going to Sirajganj.

Later, a canteen boy and two others allegedly took her to the canteen staff’s room on the pretext of arranging a seat for her and raped her there.

After receiving the information, a team from Shantahar Railway Police Station rescued the woman when the train reached Shantahar station.

Police arrested canteen boy Abu Bakkar Siddique, 22, son of late Masud Rana of Abdulpur in Lalpur upazila of Natore, in connection with the allegation.

Efforts are underway to arrest the other two alleged perpetrators, police said.

A case has been filed in connection with the incident.

The 999 call was received by call-taker Constable Md Kaif Shah, while Police Dispatcher ASI Tarun Kumar Acharya maintained communication with the caller and the concerned police station throughout the operation, Inspector Anwar added.