A woman has allegedly been lured out of Jhalkathi Sadar Hospital on the promise of being given food and subsequently raped. Police have arrested two men in connection with the incident.
The incident reportedly took place in the area adjacent to the hospital at around 3am on Monday, 10 August, according to Mehdi Hasan, an inspector (investigation) at Jhalkathi Sadar Police Station. The two arrested suspects have been identified as Bellal Sikder and Nasir.
According to the woman’s complaint, she was near the hospital’s gynaecology ward when she was approached and persuaded to leave the premises on the pretext of being given food. She alleged that she was then taken away on a motorcycle to an unidentified location, where several people sexually assaulted her.
The woman returned to the hospital in the early hours of the morning. Hospital staff noticed that she was distressed and crying, after which she was admitted for treatment. The hospital authorities also informed the police about the alleged incident.
Jhalkathi Sadar Hospital superintendent Dr Masum Iftekhar said the woman had not been admitted to the hospital as a regular patient before the incident. She was admitted after returning to the facility following the alleged assault.
Hospital authorities have handed CCTV footage to the police to assist with identifying those allegedly involved. Investigators are expected to examine the footage alongside the woman’s account and other available evidence as part of the inquiry.
Inspector Mehdi Hasan said police went to the hospital after receiving information about the incident and began an initial investigation. The woman was provided with a medical examination and the necessary treatment, he said.
Based on information provided by the woman, police subsequently arrested two people. Investigators are also attempting to establish whether others were involved in the alleged assault and to identify any additional suspects.
Police said legal proceedings are being taken in connection with the case. The investigation remains ongoing, and further action will depend on the evidence gathered during the inquiry.
The allegations have drawn attention to security around the hospital and the circumstances in which the woman was taken outside the premises during the night. Police are now examining the available evidence, including CCTV footage, while efforts continue to establish the full circumstances of the incident.
