Bangladesh police have arrested four men over the rape of a teenager whose head was shaved as punishment by the accused's wife in a case that has shocked the conservative country, an official said Sunday.
Police detained the four men including Tufan Sarker, a unionist linked to the ruling Awami League party, after pictures of the victim and her mother at hospital with shaved heads caused outrage.
A manhunt is still underway for Sarker's wife Asha Khatun, who is accused of dragging the teenager and her mother to their home, beating them and forcibly shaving their heads.
Sarker, 25, has been charged with raping the 16-year-old at home on Friday (28), said local police spokesman Sonaton Chakroborty.
"He threatened to kill her and her mother if she would dare to talk to anyone about the incident," he said.
Another officer said that Sarker was a local leader of the labour wing of the Awami League, which has been ruling Bangladesh for most of the last decade.
Photos of the victim and her mother at hospital with their heads shaved spread quickly online, outraging Bangladeshis who urged police to take prompt action.
The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, said Sarker's wife suspected she had engaged in a relationship with her husband.
"They shaved my entire head. I repeatedly apologised but they didn't listen. They even beat my mother and shaved her head," she told a local news channel.
Police said they were also pursuing Sarker's sister-in-law, a councillor in Bogra city, for allegedly abetting the assault by sending thugs to help beat the victims.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)