Rangamati, Oct 19 (V7N) – In a shocking display of vigilante justice in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a disabled Marma woman was allegedly gang-raped by three men and later subjected to an unlawful “social judgment” that fined the perpetrators instead of ensuring criminal prosecution. The incident took place on Friday, October 17, at Chongrachhari Mukh area in Ward No. 5 of Chitmarm Union under Kaptai Upazila, Rangamati district.

According to local sources, the victim, who is physically challenged, became five months pregnant as a result of repeated sexual assaults by three members of the Marma community—identified as Onuching Marma (50), Kala Marma (55), and Mong U Marma (35). During a so-called “community trial,” the local traditional leaders ordered each of the accused to pay a fine of Tk 1.10 lakh, totaling Tk 3.30 lakh.

The “judges” ruled that Tk 3 lakh would be deposited in a bank account for the unborn child’s future, while Tk 30,000 would be used to buy a pig for community rituals. In a further act of victim-blaming, the disabled woman was also fined Tk 5,000, allegedly for “violating social norms.”

Local representative Sing Thoai U Marma confirmed that both the accused and the victim belong to the Marma ethnic group. He said the informal judgment was conducted by a group of local “karbaris” (village headmen), led by Aungma Khai Marma, Sing Thoai U Marma, and Mongnu Ching Marma.

Chairman of Chitmarm Union Parishad, Weshlimong Chowdhury, told reporters that the incident occurred under the supervision of local headmen without the involvement of legal authorities. He admitted to learning about the case only after the so-called trial had already taken place.

Sources said that when the victim began experiencing severe abdominal pain earlier this month, it was initially believed to be a tumor. Later, a village midwife revealed that she was pregnant, which brought the incident to public attention. Upon interrogation by the local committee, the woman identified all three perpetrators, who subsequently confessed to the crimes.

Despite the severity of the offense, the family of the victim has not yet filed a police complaint. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandraghona Police Station, Md. Shahjahan Kamal, confirmed that police had visited the site and urged the family to submit a written complaint. However, they have refrained from doing so, reportedly due to intimidation by a local armed group that controls the area.

A senior security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that law enforcement officers were unable to rescue the victim from the village due to the strong presence and obstruction of armed militants loyal to a regional political faction.

Local residents told reporters that the victim’s family—consisting only of her mother and brother—is under severe pressure from the group. The accused are believed to have political affiliations with a powerful regional party, which has prevented the family from seeking justice.

Human rights activists condemned the incident as a horrifying example of gender-based violence and extra-judicial “social justice” in the Hill Tracts. They have called for immediate government intervention and strict legal action against those responsible for conducting unlawful community trials that perpetuate violence against women.

END/AMR/SMA/