Woman tied to tree, tortured over chicken theft accusation, video recorded

A woman in her forties in Senbag upazila of Noakhali was tied to a tree and tortured after being accused of chicken theft. The woman filed a case against four people at Senbag police station. Police later conducted a raid and arrested one of the accused.

The incident took place last Friday night. Several people present at the scene recorded videos on mobile phones. A 20-second video later spread on the mobile phones of local people. The video shows a middle-aged woman tied to a tree. Several people around her are taking photos and videos on mobile phones. At one point, when the woman tries to cover her face, one person removes the cloth from her face. Another person later tries to put several chickens in her hands.

The victim woman held a press conference at a local restaurant seeking justice for the incident on Wednesday afternoon. She alleged to journalists that she was beaten, tortured and sexually harassed after being falsely accused of chicken theft. She demanded the quick arrest of those involved in the incident and their exemplary punishment under the law.

Several local people held a protest procession and human chain claiming the case filed by the woman was harassment. They alleged that the woman filed a false case at the police station to cover up the chicken theft incident and is harassing local people.

In the first information report filed at the police station, the woman stated that her husband lives abroad. She lives alone and earns a living by rearing ducks, chickens and goats. She has a land dispute with the accused.

The FIR stated that around 9pm she was sitting at home talking to her daughter on mobile phone on Friday night. At that time several people opened the tin door of her house and entered. They snatched her mobile phone and pulled her clothes, sexually harassing her. They then forcibly took her to a neighbouring house.

Her screams made nearby people want to come forward, but the accused threatened them and drove them away, according to the FIR. Two people present there also snatched her gold chain, she alleged.

One person present there accused her of stealing chickens from his farm. She was then tied to a tree until 1am and beaten with fists, punches and slaps. The accused brought four chickens from her house and accused her of stealing them. The local chairman arrived at the scene but sided with the torturers, the woman alleged.

The local UP chairman claimed that after the woman was detained he also went to the scene. He said the woman then admitted to chicken theft and 45 chickens were recovered from her house and handed over to the farm owner. Later around 1am the woman along with relatives went to the chairman’s house, alleged sexual harassment and torture by tying her to a tree, and informed about filing a case.

Senbag police station Officer-in-Charge Abdur Rahim said police became active as soon as they learned of the incident. After the video of the woman being tied to a tree spread, preliminary investigation found the incident to be true. The woman’s written complaint has been registered as a regular case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. One person has been arrested in the case and efforts are underway to arrest the others.