A seven-month pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage after allegedly being kicked in the abdomen while she was being taken to a hospital in Kalapara upazila on Saturday night.
The victim was identified as Tania Begum, 25. Her husband, auto-rickshaw driver Habib Pahlan, and her father Dulal Howlader were also physically assaulted during the attack.
The incident occurred around 8:00pm at Munshi Bari Stand in Chakamaia union.
According to locals, Habib was taking his pregnant wife, accompanied by his father-in-law, to a local hospital from his in-laws’ house at Betmor village.
On the way, a group of local youths identified by locals as Sohag, 20, Mamun, and Shawon Sikdar, 22, were standing on the road, blocking it.
When Habib asked them to move aside, an altercation broke out, and the youths began beating Habib and Dulal.
When Tania stepped in to protect her husband and father, she was kicked in the abdomen. The youths allegedly kept the family there for around one and a half hours before locals rescued them and took them to hospital.
Tania suffered miscarriage at the entrance of the hospital's emergency department following the alleged assault and the baby died shortly afterwards.
Kalapara Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazrul Islam said a police team was sent to the scene.
Legal action will be taken upon receiving a written complaint, he said.