Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Liton Mia (26), the key accused in the recent rape of a college student on a moving bus in Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj district.
Liton, the bus helper, was apprehended within 24 hours of the incident from the Jalalpur area under South Surma Police Station in Sylhet late Monday night.
The arrest was carried out during a joint operation by RAB-9’s Sylhet Sadar Company and Shaistaganj Camp. The operation was confirmed via a press release signed by Additional Superintendent of Police K.M. Shahidul Islam Sohag, media officer of RAB-9.
Liton is a resident of Rashidpur village in Bishwanath upazila, Sylhet.
Earlier, the bus driver Sabbir Mia (27), a resident of Enatabad village in Kurshi Union of Nabiganj upazila, was also arrested by locals and handed over to the police.
According to police sources, the victim, originally from Baniachong upazila, currently resides in Dhaka’s Tejgaon area with her family.
On Sunday, June 15, she boarded a bus of Bilash Paribahan from Dhaka to visit her grandfather’s home in Baniachong. Falling asleep during the journey, she missed her stop at Shaistaganj, and the bus proceeded to Sylhet.
From Sylhet, she boarded another bus, “Ma Enterprise,” en route to Baniachong via Nabiganj.
As passengers gradually disembarked at various stops, the bus became nearly empty. Near Sherpur, when the girl was alone, first the helper and then the driver took turns raping her.
Upon reaching the Auskandi area, the victim screamed for help, attracting the attention of locals who immediately contacted the army and police. Around midnight, residents intercepted the bus in the Salamatpur area on the Nabiganj–Auskandi road, rescued the victim, and detained the driver. However, the helper Liton fled the scene.
On Monday morning, the victim filed a case with the Nabiganj Police Station, naming Sabbir and Liton. She was later admitted to Habiganj District Modern Hospital for treatment.
Later that day, Superintendent of Police ANM Sajedur Rahman visited the crime scene in Salamatpur and spoke with the detained driver at the police station. He also met the victim at the hospital and assured her of full legal and medical support.
Following the incident, Liton went into hiding to evade arrest. Law enforcement agencies increased surveillance and intelligence efforts to locate him. Acting on a tip-off, RAB conducted a late-night raid in Jalalpur and successfully arrested Liton, the prime suspect in the case.