Durgapur, Rajshahi, (V7N)– A couple in Durgapur, Rajshahi, was reportedly apprehended and tied to a mango tree by a group of local residents on Wednesday, accused of adultery. The incident, which occurred in Nandigram, Naopara Union, lasted for several hours, from noon until approximately 5:30 PM local time, with village police and locals guarding the pair. Conflicting accounts have emerged from the individuals who were detained.

"In Durgapur, Rajshahi, a couple was arrested and tied to a mango tree by locals on charges of adultery. They were tied to the mango tree from noon to 5:30 pm. The village police and local residents were guarding it. However, there were differences in the statements of the two detainees," a local correspondent reported.

A local resident, Atiqur Rahman, provided an account stating that the male individual, identified as Ahsan Habib, had a prior relationship with the woman. Rahman claimed that around 12:30 PM, while returning home, he overheard "obscene words" from Ahsan Habib's residence. Upon looking through a window, he allegedly witnessed the couple in a compromising situation. Subsequently, he enlisted the help of other villagers to apprehend them inside the house.

"A local resident named Atiqur Rahman said that the boy's name is Ahsan Habib. The two of them had a love affair before. Their house is in the same place. On Wednesday, around 12:30 pm, when he was returning home from the river, he heard obscene words being spoken in the house of the detained Ahsan Habib. He opened the window and saw them in an objectionable condition. Later, with the help of local people, they arrested them in their house," Rahman stated.

Rahman further alleged that Ahsan Habib has a reputation as a "lecher" in the community and has been implicated in previous "femicide cases," claiming that neighborhood women are disturbed by his behavior.

"Atiq said, Ahsan Habib is known as a lecher in the area. He has been convicted of several femicide cases. The women in the neighborhood are fed up with his evil eye," Rahman claimed. [Note: CNN cannot independently verify these serious allegations of prior convictions.]

However, Ahsan Habib, the arrested man, stated that he was forcibly detained by some locals and claimed he was "tricked."

"The arrested person said that some local people forcibly detained him. He claimed that he was tricked," Habib reportedly said.

In contrast, the woman involved stated that she was returning home from a field around noon when Ahsan Habib approached her and offered her two thousand taka, which she described as a "tempting offer." She claimed that when they went to his house in response to his call, the locals apprehended them.

"However, the victim woman said that she was returning home from Beel Patol's field at noon. At that time, when Ahsan Habire approached the house, he made a tempting offer of two thousand taka. Later, when they responded to his call and went home, the locals arrested them," the woman stated.

Village police officer Saiful Islam was reportedly guarding the tied couple at the scene around 5 PM, stating that he was instructed by the chairman to do so. He suggested that the matter could potentially be resolved locally if the chairman and village headman were to arrive.

"Village police officer Saiful Islam was guarding the detainees at the scene at 5 pm on Wednesday. He said he was assigned to guard them on the instructions of the chairman. He said the matter could be resolved locally if the chairman and the village headman actually arrived," Officer Islam said.

Azad Ali Sardar, the acting chairman of Nowpara Union Parishad, confirmed that he sent the village police to the location after receiving information about the incident. However, he stated that he did not go to the scene himself, citing that he lacks the authority to judge or decide on a "rape case" and instructed them to inform the police station. [Note: The initial report indicates allegations of adultery, not rape.]

"Azad Ali Sardar, the acting chairman of Nowpara Union Parishad, said, 'I sent the village police there after receiving the information. I did not go to the spot because I do not have the right to judge or decide the rape case. I asked them to inform the police station,'" Chairman Sardar stated.

Dural Hoda, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Durgapur police station, acknowledged that the police were aware of the situation. He stated that they learned from locals that the young man and woman involved were willing to marry each other. He also noted that no formal written complaint had been filed at the police station. Based on the reported willingness to marry, the OC suggested that police intervention might not be necessary.

"Dural Hoda, officer-in-charge (OC) of Durgapur police station, said, 'The matter has come to our attention. We learned from locals that the arrested young man and young woman are willing to get married to each other. So far, no one has filed any written complaint against them at the police station. Since they have decided to get married, there is no need for police intervention,'" OC Hoda said.

OC Hoda further stated that upon learning that the couple had been tied to a mango tree, he immediately instructed the concerned village police to ensure their immediate release, emphasizing that taking the law into one's own hands is not permissible.

"He further said, 'We came to know that the locals had tied the couple to a mango tree. Immediately after learning about the matter, I instructed the concerned village police over the phone - if anyone tied them up, they must be released immediately. Someone will be given the opportunity to take the law into their own hands,'" OC Hoda concluded.

END/FAA/RH/