Two Hindu housewives have been sexually abused in Manirampur Upazila in Jessore in the post-election violence against the minority community.
The incident took place at Hajrail Rishipalli on Tuesday night, two days after attacks on Hindus in the district’s Abhaynagar Upazila. Families of the victims did not initially report the crime fearing reprisals and social stigma, but they finally lodged cases with the police on Friday.
Anti-election campaigners had attacked members of the Hindu community in the Chapatola village of Abhaynagar, hours after the 10th parliamentary election was held on Jan 5.They had vandalised at least 150 houses and business establishments, forcing the residents to flee the area.
The miscreants also torched four to five houses and looted valuables. Manirampur Police Station OC Mir Rezaul Islam told bdnews24.com five to six masked men had raided the two houses, about 100 metres apart, on Tuesday night.They held the men hostage and sexually abused the two housewives.
The two women filed cases with the Manirampur police on Friday. The OC said those on the run after unleashing violence during the election had committed the crime. One of the victims said several masked miscreants had tortured her after tying up her husband and father-in-law.
She said the other victim, too, had been similarly abused.
The men of the village were now on a round-the-clock vigil to ward off any firther attacks.
Hindu minorities came under attack in various parts of the country including Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Magura, Jamalpur and Chittagong soon after the Jan 5 election.
The minorities had faced similar attacks after the 2001 election, too.
