A housewife on Wednesday was allegedly abducted and raped after miscreants intercepted an auto-rickshaw carrying her and her husband and held the man captive in Homna upazila of Cumilla.

The incident occurred on a village road in the upazila, and the victim filed a case with Homna Police Station on Thursday, naming Ashikur Rahman as the prime accused, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Thomas Barua.

According to the case statement, the victim and her husband, who live in a rented house in Homna municipality, were travelling by auto-rickshaw to her father’s home in Titas upazila around 9:30pm on Wednesday.

After crossing the Agriculture College area, Ashikur Rahman, 24, along with six to seven associates, allegedly intercepted their vehicle using two motorcycles.

The assailants then took the couple and the auto-rickshaw to a quiet brick-paved road. There, some of the accused took the husband and the driver away, while Ashikur and two others allegedly confined the woman. Ashikur Rahman is accused of raping her.

Resident Medical Officer of Homna Upazila Health Complex, Dr Md Shahid Ullah, said the victim and her husband arrived at the hospital around 3am and later sought police assistance. She was subsequently referred to the One-Stop Crisis Centre at Cumilla Medical College Hospital for further examination and treatment.

OC Thomas Barua said police took legal action immediately after receiving the complaint. The victim has filed a case, and her medical examination has been completed at Cumilla Medical College Hospital, he said.

Police have formed multiple teams to arrest the prime accused and others involved, the OC added.