Prime suspect held in Muradnagar rape video case

NN Online:
The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has arrested the prime accused behind the brutal assault and viral video showing a woman being raped and tortured in Cumilla’s Muradnagar upazila.

The suspect, 28-year-old Md Shah Poran, was detained from Kabila Bazar in Burichang upazila around noon on Thursday, Rab-11 Commanding Officer Lt Col HM Sajjad Hossain said during a press briefing at the Rab Media Centre in Dhaka on Friday.

Rab also seized a mobile phone from Poran’s possession, believed to have been used to circulate the disturbing footage online.

According to Rab, Poran orchestrated the June 26 attack as revenge for a previous public humiliation by his elder brother, Fozor Ali. Citing local sources, Rab said the brothers had clashed months earlier, ending with Fozor slapping Poran during a village arbitration at Baherchar.

Seeking retaliation, Poran allegedly used the messaging app Imo to gather a group of villagers. On the night of the incident, around 11:30 pm, Fozor reportedly entered the victim’s home under the pretext of collecting interest on a Tk 50,000 loan given to her mother. Shortly after, Poran and his associates—including Abul Kalam, Onik, Arif, Suman, Ramzan, and 8–10 others—stormed in, assaulted the woman, and forced Fozor to participate in the abuse.

The attackers recorded the assault and shared the footage on social media, sparking widespread outrage and fear in the community, Rab stated.

The victim’s family filed a case with Muradnagar Police Station on June 29 under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Pornography Control Act.

So far, six individuals have been arrested, including Fozor Ali.

During primary interrogation, Poran reportedly confessed to masterminding the attack and instructing others to record and distribute the video as part of his revenge, Rab officials said.

He has been handed over to Muradnagar police, and efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.