An OC of Pabna Sadar Station has been accused of forcing a gang-rape victim to marry one of the rapists in a bid to cover up the incident and protect the criminals. The incident, reported in the media, is one of the most shocking cases of law enforcers becoming involved in criminal activities. For isn't this one of the biggest crimes—when individuals entrusted to protect the public end up siding with the perpetrators? Instead of filing a case against the rapists and helping the victim, the OC allegedly decided to sweep the whole crime under the carpet and in doing so, caused additional trauma to the victim.

According to reports, the victim, a woman who has a husband and three children, had filed a case accusing five persons who had on several occasions confined her and gang-raped her. It is horrifying that the victim was first taken to a house and gang raped by two of the accused and then, when she sought justice through arbitration, she was again confined by two other people and raped by them several times. But what is even more appalling is that she had to be further victimised when she sought the help of the law. She was made to sign divorce papers and marry one of her rapists allegedly by the OC of the station! It has been reported that the Kazi who registered the marriage has told reporters that he was forced to do so. This is obviously a case of blatant obstruction of justice by a law enforcer who failed to do his job and was actually part of this diabolic crime. For when a law enforcer goes to such lengths to protect the perpetrators of a crime, he is actively colluding with the criminals.  We now expect the authorities to investigate this incident and if the OC is found guilty, he should be given exemplary punishment under law along with the rapists. The woman who has suffered unspeakable torture should be reunited with her family and be accorded legal support and protection by the state.